Hospitality or Hostility 3 parts
by Supergirl saves the world
Summary: A storm traps and hurts the Storm Hawks on a Terra and leaves them stuck with the natives. Not only do they have to heal, but the natives seem..off. Parts 2 and 3 have different plots, but refer back. slight Aerrow/Piper PART 1 IS A COMIC ON DEVIANTART!
1. Snowgra Storm

Snowgra Storm

Hello

Welcome to the only Storm Hawks story here on FanFiction that isn't screwed up with OCs and out of character characters. I will do my best to keep this the best story you have ever read. This is my first real story I have written and I am only fifteen years old, so please bear with me on grammer and some spelling. Don't forget to review because reviews are the best encouragement you can give.

For Dark Ace and Cyclonis fans, don't worry, they're in here and are main characters in Part 2.

Enjoy!

Oh yeah, THIS WILL BE A COMIC ON DEVIANTART WHEN I FINISHED PART 3 OF THIS STORY!!

* * *

Aerrow stood alone in the center of twelve ice caves, knee deep in snow and standing with his back to the wind. His teeth chattered furiously and not even his goggles could keep the snow out of his eyes. The caves were dark as wells and offered no shelter from the suffocating wind. Aerrow kept his freezing face upturned and his eyes on the white sky.

"Aerr-! –row!" His communicator crackled. Aerrow pushed the red button and spoke into it franticly. "Hey! I'm freezing down here! Where are you guys?"

"Where are w-?!" Piper's voice was furious. "-ere are you? You –aid you were ju- go- for a little recon! You went half-ay across the terra!"

Shivering, Aerrow held the communicator closer. "I found the caves."

Silence. "And?"

"They're abandoned," Aerrow said regrettably.

"Oh." Piper's voice faltered. "We got a lock – your loc-tion and -." The communicator died.

Five minutes later, the Condor became a dark blot overhead and the huge engines drowned out the roaring wind and ice. One of the ship's grappling hooks dropped down into the snow not four feet away from where Aerrow stood. The rope tightened, but still swayed as it disappeared into the whirling snow far above.

Aerrow stepped onto the grappling hook and tugged on the stiff rope as hard as his frozen fingers could. There was a moment of panic as the rope jerked upward and swung to and fro, but then it steadied into a fast climb and Aerrow was level with the Condor before he knew it. As he heaved himself onto the ship's runway, Radarr leaped out of nowhere and wrapped himself around Aerrow's head, hugging his master joyfully. Finn leaned out into the wind, holding onto the side of the dock and calling, "Aerrow! Hurry up! This storm is getting worse!"

Aerrow shielded his head and made his way to the dock. When he was almost to safety, a stray gust hit him from the side and threatened to sweep him away. Aerrow stood like a rock, fighting to keep his feet on the ship. Finn, seeing the sky knight in danger, ventured out a few steps and caught his arm. Radarr screeched as he held onto Aerrow's neck for dear life.

Junko grasped Finn's ankle just as they were swept into the wind. The wallop pulled them in and the dock's doors slammed shut. Junko flicked a bit of snow from his nose. "Hmm, chilly." He popped some into his mouth and flinched. "Owch."

Piper ran up to them and stopped herself before she could hug Aerrow. "Oh… um… don't ever do that again. In this storm, it was a miracle we could find you."

Aerrow grinned sheepishly. "Uh, yeah. Sorry 'bout that."

The ship balked. Junko fell on top of Finn and Piper ended up in Aerrow's arms.

"Um, in case you haven't noticed, we're all in the middle of a legendary Snowgra ice storm," Stork's worried voice said over the loudspeaker. "So, I could use a little help up here!"

They hurried up to the bridge. Junk immediately went to fixing the bursting pipes and Piper to her weather instruments. Aerrow stood by Stork, watching the raging storm in awe. "It looked so much calmer from the ground." He turned to Finn. "I need you to blast those snowballs before they hit us. Hang in there Stork!" The pilot mumbled something negative.

Finn wrapped his face in a scarf and snapped his goggles on. "Ow." He swung into the cannon's chair and its platform moved out into the breathtaking wind. The 'snowballs' were actually gigantic balls of ice formed by the swirling winds and Finn took a moment to gape at the size of them. "You call these snowballs?!"

"Quite gabbin' and start blast'n!" Junko yelled in alarm as an unusually large one rolled their way.

Finn didn't need to aim. He fired off a few volleys and the ice burst into smaller pieces. The shards bounced off the Condor's plating and Stork fought for control as the ship tipped.

Five more were blown apart and the Condor moaned from abuse. Aerrow searched the sky for an escape route. He spotted a small opening between two snowballs and pointed. "Stork, head there."

Stork steered the ship for the opening, mumbling something about doom but better than Saharra heat fever. As they flew nearer, the two large snowballs drew closer together, cutting off the escape route. Stork pulled the ship up sharply, but couldn't stop the ship from being blown away by the wind. Piper, Aerrow, and Junko tumbled head over heels and Stork clung onto the control, attempting to regain control. When he did, they were surrounded. When the nearest one got too close, Aerrow ran to the cannon and grasped the doorway for support. Finn wasn't in the seat. "Finn! Finn!" Aerrow shouted, but his words were blown back into his mouth.

"Hey there. I'm just, you know, hanging in here!" Finn was over the side, his fingers slipping from the platform's edge and his body blowing out like a kite.

Aerrow reached out and Finn grabbed his hand with an iron gripe. Aerrow pulled him up and Finn hopped back into the cannon's seat.

Stork had managed to swerve around three snowballs, but the challenge, along with the wild wind and the blurred windows, were proving too much for the old ship to handle. Junko was wrapping things in duck tape and even Radarr had his paws full.

Finn whooped as he fired another volley of blue crystal blasts into another chunk of ice. Piper saw a tiny slit of open sky. "Stork!" she pointed, but Stork already saw it. He pulled the ship up and over and enormous snowball and, using it as a shield from the wind, sped toward the opening. Aerrow looked to the right as the last window froze over and realized that there was a snowball in their path.

"Finn!" He called. "Over there!"

Finn's face was coated in a layer of snow and ice. He shook his goggles free and pulled the trigger. Nothing. "I'm out of blasts!" Finn shouted.

Then we'll just have to go around it, Aerrow thought. "Stork!"

Stork squinted at the frosted window. "I don't know where to go. I can't see a thing."

Aerrow turned. "Junko, heat up the front window."

Junko deserted the pipes just long enough to push a lever. Warm steam fogged up the window for a moment, then cleared. The biggest snowball yet filled the airship's vision. Finn and Piper screamed and the rest gasped.

Stork turned the ship in a U turn and the Condor flew to its maximum speed. The snowball hot on their tail, Stork swerved to the left, only to find that there was another rolling toward them. The Condor went left, right, left, right in a desperate race to get free of the mess of rolling ice. Stork weaved through the deathtrap at full speed, not able to slow down or go higher with the risk of facing the wind head on.

Aerrow leaned across the guardrail as if willpower could rescue them. Three snowballs rolled into their path. Stork swung the ship around, barely making it through two colliding ice chunks, and almost crashed into a mountain jutting from the ice below. AS the Condor turned sharply to avoid the mountain, the right engine hit a rolling snowball. The ship spun, and headed right for a patch of jagged ice shards that were the remains of Finn's blasting. The shards were large enough and sharp enough to skewer the Condor.

"Pull up!" Aerrow yelled to his pilot as the airship spun closer.

Stork didn't question the sky knight's orders. The merb pulled at the control and the Condor lifted. The airship rose above the shards and into the storm's hurricane wind. The lights went out, the engines stopped, and the windows were shattered like ice all in the span of a second. The Condor hovered, and then was blown along in the wind like a feather. Tumbling, spinning, and helpless, the airship vanished into the whirlwind of snow at the storm's mercy.

* * *

For those of you who have read this story for a long time, you probably like, "Hey! She fixed the order of the chapters!" Yes, I have successfully replaced the first chapter where it belonged. Don't forget to review! Other chapters are much longer than this.


	2. rescued

Rescued

Welcome to the second chapter. Remember, I am a first time author and the story does get better.

* * *

It was still dark when Aerrow woke up. His eyes darted around, trying to get his bearings. The first concern was his teammates. During the short time he was conscious in the uncontrollable airship, Aerrow had only been aware of the screams of his squadron.

_Get up_, his leader instincts told him. _No, stay down and sleep_, said his aching head. Aerrow reached up and grasped a dented pipe. The sky knight attempted to get up with its support, but only succeeded in getting dizzy. He wasn't sure where or even if he was hurt. Unsteadily Aerrow tottered onto his feet and his puzzled brain steered him downwards toward the controls, searching for anyone with his foot.

A small screech came from under the overturned dining table. Aerrow blinked at it. "Radarr? Is that you?"

The small blue creature crawled out from under the wreckage in a daze, looking up at his master's face sorrowfully.

"You alright?"

Radarr nodded, rubbing his ears.

Aerrow concentrated on putting one foot in front of the other. "Help me find the others. They have to be here somewhere."

Radarr crawled after him as he reached the controls and slumped across it. Under the levers, in a curled up position, was piper. She had her left arm at a funny angle and looked as if she had attempted to steer the ship. Aerrow touched her still face to reassure himself that she really was there and that he wasn't hallucinating.

Aerrow's mind flicked off and then snapped back on. He was loosing focus. Piper's motionless body hazed. The sky knight stumbled toward a white light coming seemingly out of nowhere, tripped, and then landed in a deep layer of snow with a hard crunch. He lifted his head despite the wind blowing hard sleet against his cheek and stared blankly at approaching figures. There were about a dozen of them, all moving at a steady pace. Two were carrying what appeared to be a body.

One knelt in front of Aerrow and cradled his face in surprisingly warm hands. Aerrow didn't have the strength to resist and just stared dumbly as the two beings gently lowered Finn's limp form beside him.

"Wha… happ…" Aerrow's voice sounded strange, as if he were talking into a bottle.

"Hush, don't talk," a soft, but firm voice said. "We are friends."

Aerrow's green eyes tried desperately to meet with the stranger's. "My… my team. They're not…"

"We don't know," another voice, a female's, came from behind. "Sit up and tell us who we're looking for."

Aerrow's back burned as he sat up with the assistance of his rescuers. "My… my friends… are…"

The stranger's voice grew perplexed. "C'mon boy. We need details. We found a blond haired boy not far from where your ship crashed. It looks like he fell out of the gash in your ship's side. Then there's you, a bluish rodent, and my clan has already found a dark haired girl. Anyone else?"

"Yeah…" Aerrow raked his brain for memories, struggling to stay in reality. "A wallop… and… a merb. They're…" Aerrow's eyes widened and he lunged toward his ship. "They're still aboard!"

The burst of energy need was too much for the sky knight's exhausted supply. Strong arms caught him as he fell, and he knew no more.

* * *

It was no longer dark when Aerrow woke up, but not bright. A light overhead cast a dim glow inside the tent in which he lay. The sky knight groaned, no quite remembering what had occurred. He turned his sore head to the left and saw a small hole in the canvas. It was not snowing and there was only a small ripple of wind to be heard. The hole was just large enough to see the rising white sun peering over the snowy landscape. Aerrow realized that an entire night had passed since he and his team had crashed the Condor.

With a jolt, Aerrow stiffened slightly. His teammates! Aerrow bolted upright, then doubled over as his temples pounded and his ribs protested the movement. Aerrow waited for the pain to subside and then ran his fingers along the soft linen wrapped around his chest to his shoulders.

A little mirror was set beside him. Aerrow picked it up and gaped at his reflection. His messy red hair was more of a disgrace than usual and his face looked as if he had smacked his head between the door and its doorframe a few hundred times.

"Doesn't look good, does it?" The male voice from last night said. Aerrow jumped in surprise. The sky knight tried to twist around to get a look at the owner of the voice, but only succeeded in getting dizzy.

"Don't come to me, I'll come to you." The stranger stood up from his cross-legged position behind Aerrow and stepped forward so that he could get a good look at him.

The stranger was a Fawngo, a deer-like alien native to Terra Snowgra. Obviously a male, he sported a creamy white throat and chin and two enormous pairs of antlers. The first pair was located right between his ears and the smaller pair right behind. It wrapped around his head like a regal crown. The buck wore a thick blue tunic with white trimmings, a little small for his height which was roughly two meters.

"My name is Stajj Fleet." Stajj made an elegant bow, sticking out a long leg and bent gracefully at the waist. "My clan and I heard your ship crash."

Aerrow winced as memories came flooding back. "How… how are my friends?"

"They're here… and recovering just like you." Stajj strutted over to the lamp and pulled the string twice, causing the light crystal inside to brighten up the tent. Aerrow slowly stood up and tenderly examined each of his comrades.

The mat nearest to his was empty and the biggest. Junko was already up and probably eating somewhere. A little curl in Aerrow's blankets indicated that Radarr had gone off too. The sky knight limped to the next bed. Piper was sleeping peacefully except for her left arm, which was wrapped and straightened.

"She sprained it pretty bad," Stajj explained. Aerrow placed her stiffened arm closer to her side and moved on.

Stajj's tone grew concerned. "Out of all of you, the blond haired boy and the young merb fared the worse."

Finn's tongue flopped over the side of his mouth like a dead fish and a snot bubble grew and shrank with each inhale and exhale. His blond hair was matted and his face was the color of one big bruise. One hand was draped across the sharp shooter's stomach. It had a bluish grey tint.

Stork wasn't quite so comical. The slim merb's face was a pale, sickly green and his breath was labored.

"As I said last night, we found the human boy laying in a snow bank not far from where your ship crashed. He had a nasty fall. As for the wallop," Stajj sighed. "He was found in the engine room amid a bunch of blown pipes."

Aerrow faintly remembered himself laying in a twisted wreckage of pipes. _So that's where I was. I must have been near the engine room._

"The merb was with the wallop, a wrench in one hand and this in the other." Stajj handed him a paper.

Aerrow wanted to laugh when he saw that it was a will, but stopped when his chest began to hurt.

Stajj placed a hand on the wheezing sky knight's shoulder. "I'm guessing that you were thrown against something sharp." He plucked something off of Aerrow's back and held it up.

Aerrow gawked at the torn piece of cloth. "My uniform's wrecked?"

Stajj stared at him as if he had completely missed the point.

Aerrow was saved from further embarrassment by Junko. The wallop burst into the tent and let out a happy whoop when he was Aerrow. The sky knight recoiled for the mechanic's big hug, but Junko hugged him anyway. Aerrow's eyes bugged out and his back made a small snapping sound. Junko released him and Aerrow staggered back. He let out a small moan. "Hi… Junko."

The overly happy wallop jumped from one foot to the other like an overjoyed puppy. Aerrow, I am sooooooo happy you're up!"

Junko's nose was wrapped up and so was his right ankle, but it didn't appear to hinder him. The wallop had a bowl of fruit and, as Aerrow looked closer, sandcakes. Sandcakes were Stork's favorite snack.

Aerrow caught on. "You're hoping to wake the others by tempting their stomachs, aren't you?"

Junko popped a grape into his mouth. "Mmm. They're seedless. This is the only food they could salvage from the Condor."

Aerrow's heart sank. "How is she?"

"She?" Junko looked up. "Oh, Piper's fine. Just a sprained arm."

"No, I mean the Condor."

"Right." Junko took a small bite from a brown apple. "Not good. The front portion of the ship is completely smashed when it rammed into that mountain."

"We rammed into a mountain?!"

"Oh yeah. The wind was all, like, swiiiiiiiiiiiiiiish!" Junko showed the wind by waving his arms. "And we were all, like, aaaaaaaaaaaaah! And then the winds died down, and the ship fell, bounced a few times, and then the mountain stopped us. The ole Condor is going to need a lot of repairs," he finished sadly.

Aerrow was hungry, but the fact that their home was heavily damaged took his appetite away. "Wait, how do you know this?"

Stajj stepped forward. "Fawngos are naturally gifted with the skill of tracking. Any one of us could take one glance at the ship and tell exactly what happened."

Junko offered him a banana. Stajj flinched. "No thank you. We… I… don't eat such… plants."

A young Fawngo buck poked his head into the tent. He was a creamy white color and his second pair of antlers were just pushing out. "Stajj, we're having a little problem."

Stajj nodded. "Right." Stajj turned back to Aerrow and Junko. "Excuse me; I have a matter to attend to. You are welcome to do anything you wish. Food is in the blue tent, as the wallop knows, fresh clothes are in the green tent, and the four beige ones are for my clan. You can go anywhere, but not the black tent. Do not go in, or even near, the black tent. If you do, you will be punished severely." With one last warning scowl, Stajj bowed and strutted out. "Besides that, you are my honored guests."

The young buck stuck his head back inside. "If any of your friends needs attending, ask anyone." The buck looked bashful. "We are not healers, so I apologize for our lack of proper healing techniques."

After the two Fawngo's hoof steps faded, Aerrow took an orange from Junko's basket and knelt by Piper. "We need to wake up Piper first. She'll know what to do."

Aerrow squeezed the orange and the tangy juice dripped onto the girl's dark lips. "Piper. Heeeey Piper. Wake up, we need you."

Junko belched and Piper woke with a start. "What the?! Aerrow! The ship!" She struggled to get up. "Where are the others?"

Aerrow put a restraining hand on her. "Calm down. Junko's right here and Finn and Stork are over there."

Piper flexed her sprained arm and ran an eye over Aerrow's bruised and ragged body. "Boy, you're a mess."

"It doesn't hurt."

"Liar." Piper looked Junko over. "What happened to your nose?"

"Fell on it." Junko felt his snout tenderly. "I tripped."

Aerrow felt his leadership instincts beginning to return. For the short time he didn't have his squadron at his side, he forgot what it was like to be responsible for his team. He felt horrible about their accident, but he knew the risks of being a sky knight, as did every other member of his team. "Piper, Finn and Stork are in bad shape. What do we do?"

Piper didn't take the time to ask where they where or how they got there. "Well, what do you know of their condition?"

"Umm… they're hurt?" Junko said.

Piper smacked her forehead. "I know they're hurt. We all are. Again, what do you know of their situation."

This time it was Aerrow's turn to point out the obvious. "They're… alive… but not moving?"

"You dimwits are useless. Help me up. I'll look at them myself."

Aerrow ducked under Piper's right arm and lifted her to her feet, ignoring his own pain. Junko scooped her up, despite her protests, and carried her to where Finn and Stork lay.

Piper fixed her crumpled uniform angrily as she shot Junko a glare, then slowly sat down and poked Finn's drool covered cheek. The blond haired boy mumbled something in gibberish, but Piper caught the word 'pudding cups'.

Piper put her lips close to Finn's ear and whispered, "Finn, wake up and you can have all the pudding you want."

No luck. Piper tried again. "Your fan club of hot chicks are waiting for you. All you have to do is wake up."

"Dark Ace has freckles on his chicken legs," Finn giggled.

Piper looked up at Aerrow and Junko. "I think Finn's mind has been reduced to a three-year-old's."

"Really? He's like that when he misses his afternoon nap too," Junko said.

Finn gargled a few bubbles inside his mouth and mumbled, "Seven moocows in a tree. I want pudding."

"I'm pretty sure Finn's fine. Now for Stork." Piper eased her hand under the merb's and lifted it. There was no movement in the fingers and no normal twitch in his tightly closed eyes.

"Cake." Piper held out a hand. Aerrow placed a sandcake onto Piper's open palm. Piper hovered the treat above Stork's nose. "It's your favorite Storkie. Wake up and if you die, I'll kill you."

Stork's black cat-like nose twitched as the aroma wafted around the tent. He smelt it, but unfortunately, so did someone else.

Radarr sprang onto Piper and nearly bowled her over. Aerrow grasped the creature's back legs and tried to pull the mission specialist off of the screaming navigator. Piper held the crumbling sandcake as far away from the hungry Radarr as possible, restraining him with her unsprained arm. But Radarr was starving. Not successful with the sandcake Piper was holding, he lunged at Junko's basket.

In the midst of Junko's wailing, the crunching of food being devoured, and Piper's scoldings, Finn sat up rubbing his head. "Whoa, dude. I had the strangest dream that the Condor crashed and all I prayed for was pudding."

All at once, they stopped their fighting and stared gleefully at the puzzled sharpshooter. "Finn!"

Finn looked at their ragged features. "That's my name, don't wear it out. What happened to you guys?" He looked down at himself. "Even better, what happened to me?"

"You, uh, fell out of the Condor when we were crashing," Piper put it as simple as possible.

Finn massaged his temples. "Ow… why do I want pudding cups?"

"Sorry, no pudding here," Junko said, rummaging through the remains of Radarr's feeding frenzy. "The unmarked ones are this banana, this orange…" Junko tossed them into Finn's lap. "And this little sandcake."

Stork's eyes popped open. "Sandcake?"

* * *

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	3. Heavily Damaged

Heavily Damaged

STORK IS MINE! MINE! Heh heh, sorry. I just love him soooooo much! Anyway, here's chapter three.

* * *

The Condor laid there in a mix of snow and mud like a crumbled piece of paper. Just as Junko had described, the entire front end of the ship was smashed against the sturdy face of the mountain.

Aerrow leaned on his crutch, observing his wrecked home sadly. The Fawngos had allowed the Storm Hawks to see the damage only after each of them were sure that they could walk. Even so, they were all forced to have crutches with the exception of Junko, who broke the biggest pair. The Storm Hawks, guided by a troop of Fawngos including Stajj, slowly limped to the wreckage that had been their home.

It was Stork who was hit the most when they reached it. The Condor was his baby, after all. The merb gazed at the ship, depressed.

"It could take months to fully repair these damages," said the young Fawngo doe named Icheera.

Piper, with the help of her crutch, walked the length of the engines and stopped to rest. "With Junko's knucklebusters and Stork, it could be done in a couple of weeks."

Stajj's brows came together in a frown. "Don't forget that I will not allow you to even touch a wrench until you are all completely recovered."

Finn gasped and almost fell over. "But that could take weeks!"

Stajj steadied him. "Then you Storm Hawks had better get comfy. It would be neglect if I didn't take charge of you while you are injured."

Aerrow felt a little irritated. Stajj wasn't in charge, he was. The sky knight adopted his most polite yet leader-like voice and said, "We appreciate your hospitality, sir, but we really need to get the Condor airborne as soon as possible. You see, we got a distress call from a clan of snow wolvross who were being attacked. I found their caves, but they were empty. It's extremely important that we conduct a search and rescue mission soon."

"You are in no shape to be running around this dangerous terra, nor is your team." Stajj said sternly. "Think about your squadron, sky knight. You already caused enough pain and suffering as it is."

The Storm Hawks were taken aback. Piper drew herself up and spoke in defense of her friend. "It wasn't Aerrow's fault! We were caught in the middle of an ice storm and there was nothing anyone could do!"

Stajj's eyes flashed angrily. "It was Aerrow who got himself lost and cost you valuable time, wasn't it?"

Silence. Piper's suspicious voice broke the quiet. "How did you know that?"

Stajj snorted. "Must I tell you again? We can take one look, one sniff, one touch to tell exactly where each one of you was last night. It wasn't a challenge to figure out all that had happened."

"So you know everything," Aerrow whispered, feeling lower than ever.

"Of course. Ice coating the windows, glass all over the bridge, snow covering the inside, you were trapped. The cannon out and empty. Your gunner attempted to fend off the ice. The ship's hull is scraped and the engines are weak. Your pilot worked the ship too hard and apparently failed. You were obviously in the worst part of the storm. Your navigator's fault, I presume. The pipes were blown. Your mechanic abandoned his job. And the overseer of all what was going on was, and is, the sky knight's job!" Stajj stepped closer to Aerrow, bending down to the boy's height and dropped his voice to a hiss. "You and your little squadron need practice, Aerrow sky knight. Much, much practice.

The huge Fawngo twirled on his hoof and strutted away, his large antlers bobbing and his neck arched with pride.

Aerrow was miserable. Was the crash his fault? Piper didn't think so. "It's not you, Aerrow. It wasn't anyone. We couldn't do anything." Through her confident and strong voice, Aerrow could sense the hesitation.

He looked long and pleadingly at each of his team's faces. Only Piper met his eyes. Junko stared at a stick between his feet as if it were the most fascinating thing he'd ever seen. Finn just rubbed his head and looked away. Stork was sadly gazing at his beloved home. Even Radarr's grip on his shoulder was weak.

"He's right," Aerrow said slowly. "But I won't hold it against myself." He stood taller, pushing aside the waves of pain in his ribs. "I'll be a better leader from now on."

Finally the other three looked up. Aerrow swallowed hard." As much as I hate it, I'm going to take Stajj's side on this. We need to heal before we go anywhere. If we go off injured, we'll just hinder the wolvross clan if we do find them." He winced.

The expected outbursts didn't come. Surprised, Aerrow raised an eyebrow. "Are you guys alright?"

"Look at my beautiful ship," Stork wailed.

"I'm hungry," Junko complained.

"I hate these crutches," Piper growled.

"I need to go to the bathroom!" Finn announced.

Radarr screeched and Aerrow decided that they were just fine. Just a bit of shock from the crash, Aerrow thought. They'll be alright.

* * *

Back at the Fawngo's camp, Aerrow lay curled up on his mat, trying to get some sleep. Junko had brought in an entire roast cave boar and he and Radarr were chewing it down to the bone. Piper sat reading a book.

Finn limped into the tent, his face pinched. Piper looked up from her book and watched Finn bounce like a three-year-old. "What's wrong Finn? Didn't you find the bathroom?"

"Oh, I found the bathroom," Finn said crossly, hopping around. "But I have no idea how to use it!"

Just then Stork came in. One look at the merb's face told them that something was wrong. He had his nose wrinkled like he smelled something really bad and he ducked behind the tent flap as if he expected someone to pop up behind him. After a silent moment ticked by, Stork released the breath he didn't realize he was holding.

"Stork, what's wrong?" Aerrow sat up.

A shiver went down the merb's slim body. "That black tent. It smells like… blood."

Aerrow spoke low. "We were ordered not to go near that tent."

"I didn't. I was looking for that one Fawngo who borrowed my binoculars and I suddenly caught the scent on a breeze." Another ripple went down Stork's spine.

Piper closed her book with a snap. "Could you tell what kind of blood? Junko is eating a cave boar. That could be it." Junko held up a leg.

"No, this blood was more…" Stork's voice drawled off.

Both Aerrow and Piper frowned and even Finn quit his bouncing. "What is it Stork?"

"The blood belongs to wolvross," Stork said quickly, as if disgusted to say the words. "It's a distinct smell. By the overpowering stench, I'm guessing that there are a lot of them."

Aerrow could only wish the pilot was wrong, but he knew he wasn't. Once when Piper was lost in a forest in an unexplored terra, Stork was able to sniff her out because the scent of the sandcakes she baked the morning before still clung to her clothes.

"These people must be carnivores."

Piper was scared. "But Fawngos don't eat meat…"

"No." Aerrow remembered when Junko had offered Stajj the banana. "Stajj said he didn't eat plants."

Piper reached into her bag that she had retrieved from the ship. "I have a book on every known species in Atmos. It should help us." She plucked a book out and leafed through the pages. They all waited anxiously as the girl looked them up and placed a finger on a page. "Found them!"

"Well?" Finn jumped from side to side. "What does it say?"

"Fawngos are the largest of the deer species. Their height can reach up to two meters and their largest pair of antlers and spread to over one meter. The smaller pair can reach four feet. Females lack the antlers and are much smaller than the males …" Piper skipped down the page to find the more valuable information.

"Fascinating, but all useless," Aerrow sighed, switching his chin into his other hand.

"Listen to this. Fawngo diets consist of strictly fruits and vegetables. They are not picky about their food and will eat almost all plants." Piper's voice slowed.

"Well, uh, maybe he doesn't… like… fruits…" Junko swallowed nervously and looked at the leg he had in his hand, unnerved.

Piper continued, the matter growing even more serious with each word. "Fawngos are known for their hospitality to others and has a strict belief in the conversation of nature." Junko dropped the leg and stepped away from the roast caveboar. "They have a fascination of studying living organisms and are all born with the gift of tracking…"

The boys sighed in relief, but drew it back in as Piper finished, "But are modest of their skills and do not normally display pride."

Aerrow thought back to when Stajj had strutted off, holding his elegant head high and showing off his crown of antlers. He also went back to when Stajj bragged about his clan's tracking skills. How very un-Fawngo like.

"Anything else?" He didn't want to miss any important details.

Piper shook her head and reluctantly closed the book. "That's it."

Aerrow's face grew hard. Finn groaned. "That's the we're-going-on-a-dangerous-mission look. Again!" He bounced on his toes. "And I still _really _need to go to the bathroom!"

Aerrow got up with a grunt. "What has begun as a simple rescue mission has become a more serious matter. We need to find out what's with this clan and what they did with the wolvross."

Piper asked the question they were all thinking. "Yes, but how?"

Aerrow pound his fist into his palm, staring at the tent wall as if he could see the scene before him. "By finding out what's in that black tent." His fists tightened even more. "No matter the costs."

Finn touched his side. "We're too hurt, man. If we're caught, we're dead. Even if we aren't caught, Stajj could take one look at us and tell where we've been, remember?"

"That's not true." All eyes turned to Stork. "On my way back here, I passed right by Stajj. My clothes reek from the scent of the blood, but he didn't even glance at me. He's lying."

Aerrow's heartbeat sped up as Stork's tone became accusing. "I've met a Fawngo before. Stajj and his clan smell, well, off." Stork rubbed the nape of his neck. "I dunno. I guess it's because…"

His words cut like a knife.

"… _maybe they aren't Fawngos."_


	4. the black tent

The Black Tent

Thank you for all the reviews and emails. It really encourages me to update the chapters. This story is turning out much better than what I thought it would. Anywhoo, here's the fourth chapter.

"Man, and I thought the air was cold during the day," Finn said through his chattering teeth as he, Aerrow, Junko, and a reluctant Stork slipped through the midnight shadows from tent to tent. Aerrow peered around the corner of the green tent, his breaths coming out as white puffs. "All clear."

They ran with silent footsteps, or at least tried to with their injuries, to the next tent and flattened themselves against the canvas. The rapid falling snow quickly covered their footprints and the blue tunics the Fawngos gave them kept them camouflaged and warm.

Piper, left behind at the Storm Hawk's tent with Radarr, held Stork's x-ray peepers and followed the boys as they crept closer and closer to the black tent, occasionally sweeping the binoculars around the camp for any roaming Fawngos.

Junko whimpered as the running began to take its toll on his ankle. He knelt and rubbed it. Aerrow glanced from Junko, to the remaining four tents to go, and back again. "Junko, why don't you rest here and catch up with us?"

Beads of perspiration hung frozen upon the wallop's forehead. "oh… okay."

Finn, Aerrow, and Stork continued. Stork's bare feet left oddly shaped footprints alongside the humans' and his shivering could be heard over the wind.

"If you're cold, then why don't you ever wear shoes?" Finn whispered hoarsely as they jogged to the next tent.

"Like any of your shoes would fit," Stork hissed.

"Then wear gloves on your feet," Finn responded smartly.

Aerrow hushed then as they reached the last tent. The black tent was larger than the others, looking like a dirty block of coal against the pure silver snow behind it. Stork's ears twitched, as did his eye. Aerrow noticed. Stork caught the sky knight's glance and whispered, "I hear a humming."

"Like what kind of humming?" Finn leaned around the corner to observe the black tent.

"Is there any other kind?" Stork was shushed. Aerrow checked both ways before taking a cautious step into the long open space they had to cross, but pulled it back. The sky knight stared at the tent, frustrated.

Finn craned his neck to glance around, not understanding Aerrow's hesitation. "What? What is it?"

Stork answered for him. "The second we step out from behind these tents, we're visible to anyone who happens to look our way. And if that's not bad enough, once we're too far from this tent for a quick retreat, we'll be sitting ducks for a bit of target practice." His eye twitched. "Instant doom."

"Stork's right. We need a careful approach." Aerrow unhooked his communicator from his belt. "Piper, we're as close to the black tent as possible. We need you to keep a sharp lookout for anyone. There can only be one shot at this. If we're spotted, it's over."

"Got it," Piper's voice crackled softly. "I'm watching over Junko too. He's not looking too good."

"Right. We'll be right with him once this is done." Aerrow hooked it back onto his belt. He looked over his shoulder at his two companions and held up three fingers. Finn and Stork nodded. Two fingers. They tensed. One, and zero. The boys broke cover and dashed as quietly as they could over the undisturbed snow, the rapidly falling snow flurries quickly filling in their footprints. Aerrow's heart skipped a beat as they almost reached the halfway point. The tent was looming larger and more menacing with each step. Aerrow was happily thinking that the plan was all going smoothly when Piper's frantic voice screamed from his communicator. "Aerrow! A Fawngo is getting up!"

Aerrow hastily glanced at his watch. It was exactly twelve thirty. The Fawngo must be on guard duty.

Stork's first impulse toward danger was to throw himself into the nearest snow bank. After a moment of hesitation, Aerrow and Finn followed the merb's example. From the safety of inside the mound of snow, Aerrow could seethe dark figure of a huge Fawngo sluggishly making his way through the tents, slowly but surely coming closer to where the three Stork Hawks hid. Aerrow's warm breath fogged up his goggles as the falling snow filled in around him. Only Aerrow's face was remotely visible as the fat balls of snowflakes dropped from the night sky. The sky knight caught a glimpse of Finn pulling his foot in farther into his snowdrift and piling more snow against his chest. A bit later, there was no evidence of the sharpshooter. And, of course, Stork was already invisible, his snow bank just to the left of Aerrow's.

The crunch of a heavy hoofstep was near. Another came Aerrow's way, then another the opposite direction. Sheesh, Aerrow thought humorously, can't this guy walk in a straight line?

The Fawngo passed the last beige tent and trudged lazily toward the black tent. He was only a few meters away. Aerrow sucked in his breath as the huge creature's black shadow approached like a phantom on the grey snow.

The Fawngo passed Finn without a glance. Aerrow's anger flared up. Stork was right; these guys had the tracking instincts of a toaster. Stajj was lying, but why?

Aerrow's thoughts were cut short as a dinner plate of a hoof landed so close that he could have reached out and touched it. Aerrow squeezed his fists and held his breath as the hooves stopped too long for comfort, and then, to Aerrow's relief, went on. But the danger wasn't over yet as the guard approached Stork's hiding place.

The Fawngo looked for moment as if he were going to prod Stork's snow bank with his foot, but decided not to and went on. As the huge creature passed the Condor's pilot, he stumbled on something and snarled about 'stupid buried bodies'. Aerrow hoped the others heard it.

The three Storm Hawks waited until the Fawngo retired once again to his tent. When Piper announced the all clear, the boys dug themselves from their snow banks. They had to hurry; another guard would most likely come in the next half hour. Stork was gripping his arm.

"What's wrong with you? Thermal paralysis?" Finn said mockingly.

Stork scowled and massaged his wrist. "No. That stupid Fawngo tripped over my arm."

"C'mon guys," Aerrow said, already at the black tent. "We need to be back in a half hour, or we're buried bodies." From the freaked out looks he got, Aerrow knew that they had heard the guard's words.

Finally, Aerrow, Finn, and Stork stood before the mystery black tent's entrance. Savoring the moment, Aerrow took a fistful of the canvas on each side and parted the flap. What was inside turned their stomachs to ashes.

A giant purple crystal sat on a metal base, five feet high and five feet wide. The metal was twisted around its length in a pattern of aged spikes and crude spirals like an evil crown. In its glow, the blood spilled all around it had a blackish color and its suffocating odor hit the boys like a wall.

"The… the blood."

Aerrow tore his horrified eyes off the grotesque scene to stare frightfully at Stork. The merb's face was frozen in terror. "It's… wolvross blood…"

Finn hunched forward as if he was going to hurl, but just held his stomach and squeezed his eyes shut. "Can we… please… get out of here?"

"R-right." Aerrow willed his hands to let go of the tent flaps, but they wouldn't obey him. He forced his head around to look at Stork for help, but found himself looking at a very young Fawngo buck. The Fawngo just stared back. A gasp escaped from Aerrow's lips and the sky knight stumbled back, as did the Fawngo.

Aerrow lost his footing on some ice and his eyes shot down for a split second before shooting back up. The young Fawngo was gone. In his place was a very confused Stork. The merb took an uncertain step toward Aerrow and the young Fawngo buck replaced the merb form.

Puzzled, Aerrow looked over to where Finn was supposed to be and discovered another young buck. The sky knight looked down at his feet and didn't see any. He had hooves.

"What the?!" Aerrow jumped away from the tent and his feet returned to normal. He stepped forward and the hooves returned.

Stork and Finn backed away from the tent. "So that's how they do it," Storks's voice was a mixture of excitement and horror. "They're using a morphing crystal to hide they're real appearances."

That means that we could be imprisoned by anyone, Aerrow thought bitterly. We need to get out of here, pronto.

"Let's go," Aerrow said, motioning them back. "We need to get out of this deathtrap. Injured or not, we can't stay."

As they ran across the wide open spot between the black and beige tents, Finn puffed, "even if we do somehow get out of here unnoticed, we don't have the Condor."

"Then we need to fix her up quick." It was impossible, Aerrow knew, but he didn't know what else to do. Not even their skimmers were flyable after the crash.

Aerrow's watch beeped one o'clock. Had an entire half hour really pass? A guard would be getting up anytime now. They were almost to the beige tents when Finn's leg gave out and he crumpled to his knees with a grunt. Aerrow and Stork turned and hurried back to their friend.

At the same instant, Stajj himself threw aside the third beige tent's flap aside and immediately spotted them with a startled snort. The giant Fawngo's eyes darted from the black tent to the boys, his shrewd mind piecing everything together. His nostrils flared, his ears went back, and his golden brown fur on his ruff stood on end. The proud buck let out a ground shaking bellow and charged with startling speed at them.

Aerrow's energy blades were still somewhere on the ship. He braced himself in front of Finn and prepared to meet the furious Fawngo head on. "Stork! Get Junko and Piper out of here!" Aerrow barely had time to say the words before Stajj was upon him, swinging his needle sharp antlers at the sky knight's head. Aerrow caught two prongs before they could touch him, but Stajj simply swung his elegant head upwards and the lowest prongs tore tears through the front of Aerrow's tunic. Blue material hung along the long rips, exposing the bandages around the sky knight's chest. Stajj swiped his coconut sized fist at the bared injury. Aerrow could only stand and wait for it as he held the antlers, rathering to be punched than to be skewered.

The blow knocked the breath from his lungs and Aerrow was sent flying. He landed hard not far from the nearest beige tent and glimpsed Stork disappearing around the corner. At last, one of his orders had been followed correctly!

Aerrow gasped as Stajj picked him up by the neck. He struggled for breath, not having the strength to do anything but stare into the angry Fawngo's eyes. The amber irises and ebony pupils seemed to see right through his forehead into his brain, sucking out all the information Aerrow had gathered. Then the piercing eyes went wide and Stajj dropped the wheezing sky knight with a roar.

Finn tightened his arm around the Fawngo's throat, trying to throttle the life out of him. Stajj leaped and bucked madly, his sharp hooves coming within inches of Aerrow's skull. Stajj reached over his broad shoulders, found Finn's neck, and tore the boy from his back. The buck chucked Finn onto Aerrow and booted them both until they were unconscious.

Junko had no idea what was happening as he crouched behind the second beige tent. He watched the emerging Fawngos fearfully, afraid that anytime now one would turn and see him in the shadows. The wallop dragged himself painfully toward the far side of the tent. His ankle hurt really bad, so bad I fact that Junko could swear that it was on fire.

"Psst, Junko."

The wallop withdrew from behind the tent, squinting in the dimness for the owner of the voice.

"Junko, it's me." Stork stepped into the soft light illuminated from the crystal torches set around the camp.

Junko relaxed. "Oh, Stork, it's you. Where are the others? Did you see what the black tent was used for?"

"Oh, I saw what was inside the tent," Stork said grimily, not wanting to reveal the nightmare. "Aerrow and Finn are fighting Stajj. Aerrow told me to get you and Piper out of here."

Junko worriedly creased his brow. "But… Finn and Aerrow couldn't possibly…"

Stork cut him off. "I know, I know. I feel like a coward for leaving them behind. Not that I'd do any good if I stayed," he mumbled.

Junko stood unsteadily, and then fell back. "I can't stand. My ankle is useless." The wallop drew in his breath sharply as a Fawngo looked their way. The two boys stood rigid. The Fawngo stamped nervously, but took them as his own kind.

"What's going on?" Junko whispered.

Stork peered through the tangle of long deer legs milling around in a circle in the center of the camp. He saw something lying in the middle, but couldn't make it out. He didn't need to."

"Aerrow and Finn are already captured," Stork snapped. "We need to go. Now!"

Junko supported himself on the tent and balanced on his good leg. "I can't walk. Leave me here and get Piper and Radarr out of here."

Stork wasn't going. "I already deserted Finn and Aerrow. I'm not leaving you too. Stay standing and stretch your arms out."

"Wha?" Junko barely complied when Stork ducked under the wallop's arms, pressed his back against his stomach, grasped his arm and uninjured ankle, and hoisted his friend onto his shoulders. Junko hung on either side of Stork's neck, balanced like a sack of flour. The merb's thin legs shook with effort, but Stork merely bit his lip and began trudging toward the tent which Piper had hopefully abandoned.

Junko watched Stork's feet labor through the thick snow from his upside down position. "Really, Stork, you should just leave me."

Stork didn't answer, just stopped and shifted his friend higher.

The Storm Hawks' tent was dark. Stork set Junko on the ground and peered inside through the hole in the canvas. He looked up at Junko sadly. "Piper's gone and so is Radarr. The entire tent's a mess from as struggle."

The merb got up and lifted the wallop onto his shoulders once again. "I guess it's just us now. Back to the Condor."

"But once the Fawngos can't find us at the camp," Junko protested. "That's the first place they'll go!"

"No, I don't think they will," Stork said thoughtfully. "Stajj is too smart for that. The most obvious place we'd go is the Condor, but it's too obvious. So, to throw him off our trail, we'd go and hide in a cave somewhere."

"So… we're not going to the Condor?" asked Junko, confused.

"Exactly."

"But you're going right toward the crash site."

"No, I'm not. We are, but not according to Stajj."

"Ah," Junko sighed, even though he still didn't get it.

Only Piper was aware of the current situation. Aerrow, Finn, and even poor Radarr were draped on top of each other in a pile in the middle of a mass of angry Fawngos. The two leaders, Stajj and Icheera, pranced around furiously.

The doe kicked her in the side and she snarled, "We warned you! We gave you a clear warning! Wasn't that clear enough for you?!" She gripped Piper by the hair and threw her savagely to the ground. "Now you and you're little buddies will pay!"

"We'll go after the green one and the wallop in the morning after the storm." Stajj said. "They're either frozen somewhere or hiding in an ice cave. They're not as stupid as too go back to their airship. Either way, they'll probably be dead when we find them."

Fawngos are known for their hospitality toward others, Piper remembered as she lay with her face in the snow. My butt.

Stajj stood tall before his captives, holding up his giant hands for silence. "Since the Storm Hawks decided to forgo my warning and probe into our clan's private matters, I have to the conclusion for their punishment."

Piper closed her eyes, awaiting their fate.

"We will offer the Storm Hawks to Master Cyclonis as a returned favor for giving us our beautiful crystal."

Piper was horrified and confused. What crystal? What did Aerrow and the others find?

Icheera flipped the girl over. "Put them in the black tent. Let's see how they squirm after an hour or two."

Piper was grabbed by a dozen hard hands and was dragged toward the black tent. Stajj gave out more orders. "Take these to the crystal and tie them up. Let them stare into its depths and admire its beauty. Tynarc, radio Master Cyclonis. Tell her," the Fawngo's mad eyes glittered coldly. "That we have some new toys for her to play with."

Piper stared at her feet, trying to make sense of it all. The Fawngos had a crystal that they completely adored, and they were in league wit the cyclonians. But Fawngos weren't into that stuff. They were supposed to be nature-loving kind vegetarians. And what did they do with the wolvross family? Why would the cyclonians leave a perfectly good terra to the inhabitants, even if they were on their side? Where was Stork and Junko?

_What would happen to them?_


	5. Avoiding Capture

Avoiding Capture

This story is com'n out great. Thanks for reviewing and love Stork, but not more than me. My love is unmatchable. Here's chapter five.

* * *

Stork's legs gave out halfway to the Condor. Junko stopped his weight from crushing the merb by pushing against the ground with his hands, his feet up in the air against Stork's back. The Condor's pilot knelt, panting and squinting through the thick snowfall. The Condor seemed so far, far away. His muscles trembled from exertion and his arms were numb from holding his heavy friend in place.

"Maybe you should rest," the kind wallop said, concerned as he felt Stork's small muscle spasms.

Stork lifted the two hundred pound wallop, staggering a little to the right and would have fallen over had Junko not helped by sliding to the left. The slim merb continued his seemingly tramp against the rising snow level and the trenchant sleet, praying that he would reach the airship before he reached his limit.

* * *

Piper was tied to the metal base that the great purple crystal rested upon. She had already figured out much as what Stork knew, and tried to push her thoughts further. The crystal was obviously a rare morphing crystal, even more powerful and pure than the cloaking crystal. The blood splattered on the ground appeared to be some kind of sacrifice. As Piper gazed at her distorted reflection on the rich violet surface, she could feel her mind being drawn into it. It was like it was trying to confuse her, twisting her thoughts into one big heap of Junko's slug casserole.

Shaking her head, Piper tore her eyes from the crystal and focused on Finn and Aerrow. The boys slouched against the metal. They hadn't moved once since they had been dumped into the tent an hour ago. Maybe they were never going to wake up, maybe they were in a coma, or maybe, her eyes filled up with tears, they were dead.

_No! _Her eyes squeezed shut. _Snap out of it, Piper. You're Piper, so stop having Storkish thoughts._ A buzz filled her head and continued to confuse her mind.

Aerrow stirred and slowly, painfully raised his chin from his chest and looked around, dazed. A bruise covered the left portion of his face. The sky knight blinked at Piper, Finn, and then at the ropes binding his wrists to the curling metal structure.

"P… Piper?"

"I'm here, Aerrow." Piper's heart ached as she watched him shakily lean his forehead against the steel. Poor Aerrow, he'd been through so much, she thought, we all have. Piper wondered where Junko and Stork were. The snow outside was blowing furiously and at three thirty in the morning, it was far below zero. Maybe they were lost, perhaps frozen, maybe they fell into an icy pit with sharp icicles at the bottom…

There she went again! Piper grimaced at the throbbing in her temples. Why couldn't she think clearly? Suddenly Piper got it, and it all came together.

* * *

Stork collapsed at the Condor. His cheek rested on the torn metal of the gash in the airship's side. Junko crawled off his friend and scooted inside, pulling the merb along.

"You did it!" Junko bounced up and down on his rear. "Stork, I was ninety-five percent sure you'd make it!"

Stork ushered enough strength to smack him. The wallop recoiled, rubbing his arm. "Ow! What was that for?"

"The other five percent," Stork muttered before falling asleep.

Junko stayed at his friend's side. They were two lonely figures lying in the wreckage of a once great airship as the dark starless sky continued its relentless downpour of snow.

* * *

"The morphing crystal is not only changing their appearances, but their minds too," Piper talked excitedly to Aerrow. "They're so obsessed with the crystal, and probably around it so much, that it's beginning to poison their minds. The Fawngos, or whatever they are, are going insane because of this!"

Aerrow gazed into the crystal. "It makes so much sense, but yet doesn't. Cyclonis doesn't need to conquer every terra now. All she has to do is give them one of these crystals as a 'peace gift', and then the rest is easy."

Finn's eyes fluttered. "Ugh, no more gravy pa-leeze!" He looked around in confusion. "Where'd that woodchuck go? He chucked wood at me!" The sharpshooter pulled at his bonds. "Nobody chucks wood at the Finn!"

"Shut up, Finn!" Both Piper and Aerrow shouted at him.

Finn calmed, realized where he was, and winced. "Oh, blood. I can't… stand… the sight… of blood…" He gagged.

Aerrow patted Finn as best as he could with his index finger. "Don't worry, Finn. I'm working my hands free as we speak." The sky knight proceeded with rubbing his ropes up and down along the metal spike he was tied to, his ribs aching with every push and pull.

Piper tried to do the same, but her sprained arm prevented her from doing any more than three. All awhile, her mind was figuring out the mystery of the strange crystal. "We must not be morphing into another shape because of the slime crystal in my pocket. I've read that some stronger crystals have no affect while there are other crystals present."

Aerrow rested, his eyes darting around. "Hey, has anyone seen Radarr?"

* * *

Junko was propped up, dozing, when Stork woke up. The merb blinked rapidly to clear his foggy vision and squinted against the dazzling sun reflecting off the gleaming snow. It was morning already? Stork bunched his shoulder muscles to move his arm and suddenly his entire body went rigid in pain. It was like every muscle he had was blown. During the last few hours of night that he laid there, his tendons, strained to maximum from carrying a wallop, had frozen in his sleeping position. Great, just great.

"Junko," Stork forced from his half open mouth, his neck too sore to raise his head. "Junko!"

The wallop's foot twitched and he made a soft grunting noise from around his thumb.

"Junko! Junko! Junko!!"

Junko leaped up from his dreams, stood for a heartbeat, and then toppled over like a felled tree. The wallop sat up and dusted himself off nervously, glancing around. "Who called? Did they leave a message?"

"Yeah. It was Leugey the raptor," Stork hissed. "He wants his brain back."

"He wants his brain…" The insult sank in. "Hey! Not nice!"

Stork attempted again to move his arm. His shoulder blade burst into agony and Stork moaned. Junko crawled to his side, his big hand outstretched as if to help him.

"Don't… touch… me…" Stork gasped out.

The wallop's fingers hovered over the merb's back, wanting so much to help him. "Then… what can I do?"

A green finger rose and pointed to the hall where the team's quarters were located. "In my room… there's a first aid kit… under my bed… and get the container labeled… pain pills."

The wallop crossed his legs and scooted like an infant across the bridge on his rear, shaking the ship with every bounce.

Stork waited for Junko to return, his lean body half in the ship and half out. Slowly, as feeling began to creep back into his limbs, Stork realized that there was snow on his feet. He twitched his leg and heard a soft plop. There was snow on his legs too.

Oh great, the frightened young merb thought. I'm going to suffer from a severe case of leperion Snowgra frostbite. One toe, one finger gets it and it'll spread to the rest of my body, then I'll turn black and crumble into a thousand little pieces. That's what they'll find when they come for me. A little clump of black dust.

"I got it, Stork!" Junko scooted up to his friend, holding the kit. "Now, which one do you want?" The wallop dug through it and held up a multicolored pill. "Ooh, pretty."

I'm doomed, Stork thought grimly. We all are.

* * *

Radarr had somehow escaped without Piper seeing him. His chewed ropes hung from the metal and his faint tracks led out of the tent. Too bad he doesn't have the brains to go get a knife or something, Piper growled in her fogged mind. The morphing crystal was definitely having serious effects on her.

Aerrow and Finn were faring no better. Aerrow's wrists were red and raw from rubbing his bonds on the metal, but the thick ropes used to tie the humans were proving to be much tougher than Radarr's. The sky knight panted and moaned, still trying to rub them through.

"C'mon, man. Give it up," Finn sighed, slumped against the base. "By the time you break them, our minds will be a big heap of sludge."

"Sludge!"

Finn flinched. "Ow, Piper. Why do you always have to be so loud?"

Piper twisted her neck to shove her head between her arms and struggled to get her teeth to her hip. Finn wailed, "Great! Piper's lost it! We're dead! We're dead, we're dead, we're dead!"

Aerrow looked like he was going to strangle the sharpshooter, but fortunately his hands were tied.

"Oh man, I can't believe I hadn't thought of this before! Finn, I need you to reach into my pocket and find my slime crystal." Piper leaned as close to him as possible.

It took a few seconds for her voice to penetrate his skull. Finn, still mumbling, put his foot on Piper's pocket and slid it upwards. The green crystal fell out and clattered on the ground. Its band prevented it from exploding.

Piper bent back and took the glowing crystal in her teeth. She shook it to release the band, but it wouldn't fall off.

"Finn, I need you to get it off," Piper said around it.

Finn looked from his hands to the crystal. "How? I can't use my foot."

Aerrow bumped him. "Then use your teeth."

Piper suddenly grew uncomfortable. "Um… no, that's alright."

"C'mon, Piper. We need to get out as soon as possible," Aerrow said, looking around Finn.

"Oh, alright," She moaned. Finn was thrilled.

"Just don't get jealous," Finn winked at Aerrow and put his teeth on the band. Piper squeezed her eyes shut as his lips passed within millimeters of hers. With a flick of his head, Finn snapped the band off.

Piper rapped the crystal against the metal and it burst. Aerrow blinked to clear the soggy green slime from his eyes and easily slid his raw hands from the slippery rope. Finn and Piper did the same and stood up. The sharpshooter grasped his head. "Oh. All my blood is pounding in my head."

Radarr leaped into the tent, holding up a small, broken file triumphantly. His ears drooped when he saw that they were already free.

"It's a little too late for that. Sorry, Radarr." Aerrow poked his head out of the black tent and looked around. "Whoa. Where did everyone go?"

"Oh! Oh! I know where they went!" Finn pressed his numb fingers to his temples. "Um… um…"

"Didn't they go after someone?" Piper stroked her chin. "I can't remember."

Aerrow hit his hand into his palm. "The morphing crystal! It must have hit our most recent memories first. I don't remember some things."

"Well, let's see," Piper said, using her common sense that the others lacked. "I remember the crash, we were rescued by a bunch of Fawngos, we're suspicious of them because of their behavior, and we were caught sneaking to the tent."

"That sums it up," Aerrow agreed. "It's just a few certain details that I can't recall." The sky knight counted the four of them. "Say, aren't we missing someone?"

"Yes, but who?" Not even Piper could remember, and Finn began to dance and hop.

"Uh… I _reeeeally _need to go to the bathroom!" Finn grimaced, pressing his legs together and jumping. "It's bad for the kidneys!"

Piper wanted to sleep. Her head ached, and her arm was feeling worse and was turning an odd bluish color. "Alright. On an airship, we need a sky knight…" She pointed to Aerrow. "… a navigator, which is me, Radarr's our 'mission specialist,' Finn's our sharpshooter, so that leaves…" Piper imagined the Condor's bridge. "… a mechanic and a pilot."

"We have a mechanic?" Aerrow stared at Piper blankly.

Meanwhile…

Stork stood up shakily with the help of Junko. The pain pills had worked wonderfully. He just wondered how long they would last.

"We need to be ready for when Stajj and his gang comes here for us," said Stork as he took a careful step across the bridge.

Junko scooted after him. "I don't get it. Wouldn't they have come already?"

"Stajj isn't stupid enough to go out in the middle of a snowstorm. Only we are." Stork righted the dining table. "And, or course, we either collapsed in the endless plains of snow, lost and frozen, or we're trapped in a small cave at the mountains, frightened and unable to go anywhere without risking death."

"But we're not."

Stork pulled two chairs from where they had fallen into the oven. "Yes we are. We're not, but to Stajj, we are."

"Stop that!" The wallop clenched his head. "You're hurting my brain!"

"Stajj would start out with a gang, maybe even the entire clan, to look for us this morning." Stork glanced up at the sun. "It's almost noon."

Junko tossed the checkerboard back onto the table and began collecting the game pieces from the floor. "Why would the entire clan come looking for us? We're just two people."

Stork held up a finger. "Ah, but we're tow people who could go get help once we get the Condor running. They would want to catch us before that happens." Another green finger rose to join the second one. "Second, the entire clan or a large group would come looking for us because if there's one rule when out in the open, it's safety in numbers. I've heard about the monsters that roam this place. They'll spring on loners but will leave a big enough group alone. And there's been something else a little weird about that clan…"

"Duh," Junko snorted. "They're not… Fawngo… ish… at all."

"Besides all that. It's something that won't slow them down if they're on the prowl." Stork paused to take a breath while setting the fridge upright. "Children. I haven't seen one child in the clan. Don't you find that a little strange?"

Junko thought about it. "Yeah. Now that you mention it, it is strange."

Stork wrapped his arms around the refrigerator and sat it upright with one hard pull. "Owch. That hurt." The merb rested against it. "Either the clan has some belief that's against having children or… maybe they sacrificed them to the crystal."

Junko's face turned pale and the horrified wallop slapped his hands onto his cheeks. "Oh no! That's… not nice!"

"Take it easy. I didn't smell anything but wolvross blood. So relax!"

Too late. Junko fainted.

* * *

Aerrow ducked into their tent and found his uniform which he had hid under his mat. No matter how the Fawngos had helped them, he didn't want them to take it and burn it. He'd seen cartoons where the character's rescuers would dispose of his clothes and give him new ones. The sky knight still liked it even if it was a bit tattered.

Piper wailed when she opened her bag. "My books! They're gone!"

Finn, still needing to go to the bathroom, danced around his mat. "Too bad! Now can we please go back to the Condor?! I know how to work the toilets there!"

Aerrow tossed his muddy uniform into Piper's bag, ignoring her disgusted protests, and stepped outside. No Fawngo was anywhere to be seen. He motioned for his friends to follow and they took off running. Suddenly Aerrow turned so sharply that Radarr snapped off from his perch on his shoulder.

Piper stopped. "Aerrow? Where are you going? The Condor's this way!"

"I know!" Aerrow shouted back, still running down the row of tents.

Finn bounced, his face turning a dark purple with anxiety. "Aerrow! I have to go!"

"Then go in the snow!" came the faint reply.

Finn looked down at the pure whit snow. "I would, but there's no toilet paper."

Piper ran after Aerrow.

* * *

Stork heard and smelt the Fawngos coming. Their musky smell crept through the small cracks of the mended gash in the ship's side. The merb finished heating the last bit of metal and used a kitchen knife to smooth it. He stood back and surveyed his work. One could tell that there had been damage inflicted, but it would have to do until he had the time to fix it properly.

Stork backed away to the controls and the fainted Junko as something rapped the ship's damaged side. It sounded like Stajj. "They've sealed it up. We'll go around back."

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Stork murmured, his hand laid restlessly on a lever.

A crash of a smashed window came from the back of the ship. Stork smiled. Excellent. He shifted the radio higher into his ear and listened to the Fawngos climb aboard.

Stajj's heavy hooves clanked on the Condor's floor, his antlers scraping the ceiling and his tawny eyes taking in the hall. Doors were lined down on the right wall, obviously the crew's quarters. The giant Fawngo strutted up the hallway, pressing his muzzle on each of the doors and breathing in deeply.

Icheera gripped her club behind him, prepared to batter anything that popped up. Tynarc stumped alongside, snorting at the shadows and also ready to fight. The rest of the clan, about thirty or so, jostled to get inside and down the narrow hall.

Stajj's handsome head bobbed up and down, and then he stopped. His nostrils flared. "They're here." He stepped forward and his hoof struck a wire, causing a bucket of black tar to tip over from the ceiling and fall on his head.

His furious yowl rocked the ship. "Raaaaaaaawr!"

Tynarc staggered back and bumped into a door. It automatically swung out and whapped him on the back of the head, bowling him over and onto a dozen others.

Icheera leaped aside to avoid the tumbling mass and stumbled into an open room. The door activated and slammed her against the door frame, then drew back, and slammed her even harder.

Stork carefully calculated where the majority of the Fawngos were. His predictions came true when he pulled the lever and a large number of screams reached his ears.

Back in the hall, the Fawngos fought each other to get out, slipping and spitting sludge in the mess of a bucket of unbanded slime crystals.

Stajj didn't care what his cowardly clan did. The giant buck dropped to all fours and slid up to the door that lead to the bridge. He furiously smacked his head against it, then saw it was barricaded. The Fawngo backed off, and then rammed it with his muscled shoulder. The door flew open and Stajj forced his big body through. His antlers caught, but Stajj lunged. He prongs ripped through the metal frame and the angry beast prowled toward the slim merb.

Stork patiently waited for the Fawngo to walk on the Stormhawk's symbol that was the center of the bridge. Just like Repton and his brothers, Stork thought humorously. I'll send him flying back to his precious crystal.

There. Stajj's front feet were on the platform, and then his back hooves. Stork grasped the lever and pushed it down. The platform clicked and readied to spring. Stajj felt it and, with a startled snort, leaped off of it. Seconds later, the platform sprang and the roof opened for the imaginary victim.

Stajj faced the merb, his nostrils wide and his eyes flaring. The Fawngo rose onto his hind legs, towering over the Condor's pilot.

Stork swallowed hard and backed away. The predator had become the prey.


	6. Getaway

Getaway

Yay! Chapter six! STORK IS MINE!!! But Junko is cute too, not that he compares to Stork.

* * *

Stork avoided the Fawngo's swiping antlers and pushed another lever. The floor beneath Stajj's feet crumbled and Stajj fell. Stork let out a whoop, only to be reduced to a whimper as Stajj scrambled back onto the bridge.

"Nice try," Stajj snarled and pulled a cylinder from his belt. He flicked it and a long, slim blade unfolded. A black crystal was set into the hilt.

Stork nervously glanced around. The bridge was such a mess that his friends' weapons could be anywhere.

Only Stork's fast reflexes saved him from being skewered by the glowing black blade. He had never seen such a crystal before. Stajj swiped the sword madly and all Stork could do was dodge. The merb ducked under the black blade and was on the other side of the room in a bound.

I'm good at running away, Stork thought. Stajj leaped high into the air and brought the humming sword down to where the merb had been standing a millisecond ago. Stork slid between Stajj's legs and rolled away. Stajj's hoof caught him between the shoulder blades and Stork's free flight across the bridge was cut short by the wall.

Stork dropped amid a pile of junk left over from the crash. He put out a hand to get up and felt a sharp, painful jolt. With a yelp, Stork pulled his burnt hand away and peered at what he had touched. A hole in the floor, probably torn open by the jagged ice peaks, sported a colorful variety of sparking and hissing wires.

The blade sped down. Stork threw himself aside and the sword stabbed the ruined wires. Electrical energy ran up and down the Fawngo's arms and hopefully fried his brain. Stork struggled to get up, but his knee buckled. The merb clutched it, hoping that it wasn't broken.

Stajj got up, shaking his smoking fur. Stork once again attempted to stand, but only succeeded in stumbling a few feet and falling against the controls. The weight of his body turned the control to the left and Stork felt a slight tremble as the Condor tried to respond. He wanted to cry. His ship was holding on.

Stajj limped toward him, his eyes blood red and still holding the sparking black sword. His gait was unsteady and Stork could tell that the Fawngo was not going to last much longer. But neither could he.

Stajj whapped Stork away from he controls and held the sword back to slice it in two. The Condor moaned as if knowing what Stajj was about to do.

A crazed light sprang into Stork's eyes. The Condor's pilot leaped between the controls and Stajj's wrath.

* * *

Aerrow walked through the confused clan of Fawngos milling around outside the back of the ship. At first the sky knight panicked when he saw the broken window and Fawngos inside, and then grew more relaxed when they rushed out, covered in green goo and bruised.

Piper pranced around a shying buck, trying out her new long legs. The chunk of morphing crystal in her hand was small enough to fit in her fist, but big enough to change the three of them into just three more Fawngos. Aerrow bumped aside two fat ones away from the smashed and swung a leg over. A hard hand grasped his arm. One of the fat Fawngos, the one he recognized as Tynarc, leaned forward and tried to pull him from the window.

"What are you doing? Go in there and you'll get even more slimed." Tynarc scowled and gripped his arm tighter. "Why aren't you even remotely slimed?"

Aerrow wretched his arm from Tynarc's grasp and ducked inside. As Finn and Piper followed, Piper carefully concealing the cut chunk of morphing crystal under her tunic, Tynarc shouted, "There's no need for us anymore! Stajj is already inside!"

Oh no. Aerrow began running, his Fawngo legs going much faster than his human ones. The antlers on his head, though small, were heavy and giving him a blinding headache. Finn seemed to be having the same problem. Piper, not weighed down by a crown of antlers, out took Aerrow in a series of flying leaps and threw open the door.

Stajj stood huffing in the middle of the bridge, a bloodied black sword in his hand and his body smoking as if he'd been electrocuted. Aerrow ran forward, but stopped when he saw Stork sprawled on the ground before the controls.

Stajj's face was a monstrous sight as he snarled at the stunned sky knight. "What are you doing? I don't need your help. Go back to those other cowards!"

Stajj reached down and picked up the fainted Junko. He straightened effortlessly and glared at them. "What? You're still here? Fine, you can carry this one out." Stajj hurled the wallop at them. "The other one's going to die."

"Wha… what happened?" Aerrow couldn't move. All he saw was the limp figure of his pilot.

The giant Fawngo sneered. "Stupid merb jumped between the ship's controls and me. No matter, Master Cyclonis will still enjoy these four and their pet."

At that comment, Radarr climbed into sight into sight onto Aerrow's shoulder.

Stajj squinted at him. "Hey, isn't that…"

Aerrow scooped up a long pipe and swung it at Stajj's head. The black sword chopped it in two and Stajj stepped back. "What? What are you doing? Idiot!"

"Aerrow! Finn!" Piper came from the engine room and tossed them their weapons. Finn caught his sharpshooter, kissed it joyfully, and fired off a few rounds at the Fawngo. "Guess I can hold it in a little longer!"

Stajj fended off the bolts with one sweep of his blade. "Aerrow and Finn, eh? Tell me, how are you doing it?"

Piper held up the small chunk of morphing crystal, watching the rage creep up onto Stajj's once handsome face. His voice was low and dangerous. "Where did you get that?"

Aerrow activated his ice blue blades. "Hacked it off your precious crystal with a tent pole." The sky knight blocked Stajj's maddened blow and staggered back from the force. _Whoa! This guy's strong!_

Finn continued keeping a distance and firing at the Fawngo. Piper tried to slip past Stajj to get to Stork, but Stajj sprang between them. Piper backed off to Junko's side.

Aerrow untangled himself from his fight and leaped back. His body glowed with his lightning claw and he shot the powerful blue blast straight into Stajj's chest. It took a lot out of the Fawngo as he flew back, but unfortunately took more out of Aerrow.

Piper's cheer turned into a squawk as Aerrow crumpled to his knees. Finn was already leaning against the dining table because of his injured leg, but also because he still _really _needed to pee.

Stajj got up, his once flawless strong body and golden brown fur now scuffed, weakened, and gray. He was like a demon, his face twisted in a sneer and his crown of antlers casting a dark shadow across his eyes. He strutted toward the dazed sky knight without his sword, his fist posed to smash Aerrow's skull.

Finn fired and Stajj suddenly whirled and rammed Finn with his shoulder. Piper, who had finally found her staff, blasted with her frost crystal. A blanket of ice momentarily froze Stajj's head and shoulders, but then disintegrated. The Fawngo buck went after her.

Stork couldn't tell if he was dead or alive. Everything swam before his gaze and the sounds he heard were gargled beyond recognition.

Suddenly a blue flash filled his senses and something heavy landed not far from where he laid. Stork blinked, his puzzled mind trying to make sense of it all. Aerrow? Was that Aerrow's lightning claw?

Stork moved his head to get a better look and a river of pain flowed down his spine. The pain pills must have worn off. Stork swallowed his agony and stretched out his hand. It came in contact with something cold. He felt up its length and griped a handle. The Condor's control.

Piper lost her balance and fell onto Junko as the Condor lurched backwards. She looked in amazement as Stork pulled on the control, urging the ship from the mountain's base. The Condor responded beautifully under Stork's skillful hands and they were soon skimming over the terra's snowy surface.

Piper stood up, only to tumble over again at the Condor's shiver. Stajj crouched on all fours, slowly making his way toward Stork. Piper flinched as she grabbed her fallen staff and took aim at the persistent enemy. The Condor shook and her wild shot took out the rest of the front window. The sucking wind, only minor before, became furious.

Junko sat up. "Huh? What's going on?" He found himself being pulled toward the window by the wind. "Gah! Bad wind! Bad!" The wallop wrapped himself around a pole and wailed when his teddy bear was sucked outside.

Stajj got a hold on Stork's ankle. Stork put his other foot on the Fawngo's forehead and kept away. Piper couldn't help her friend. She was trapped against a pole across from Junko, her uninjured arm keeping Finn from falling off the ship(again) and her sprained hand placed on the semiconscious Aerrow's shoulder. All she could do was watch.

Stajj dug his hooves into the ship's floor against the wind. Stork was somehow weaving the Condor through the snow banks and fending him off at the same time.

"How can you keep fighting? You're children!" Stajj yelled. He pushed weakly against Stork's offending foot. "And you! I _stabbed _you! How can you be alive and still fight?!"

Stork shook off Stajj's hand from his ankle, drew it back, and the last thing Stajj saw before the merb kicked him was his pale grinning face. Stork's foot smacked him in the nose and Stajj was sucked out the window, the merb's words echoing in his head.

"'Cause I'm a Storm Hawk."

* * *

Yay! Please review and tell me what you think! Don't worry, this isn't the ending. 


	7. The second crash

The second crash

Here's chapter seven. Sorry it's so short. The next chapter will be longer.

* * *

The Condor vaulted over Terra Snowgra's edge and out into midair. Far below, the wastelands waited for the ship to fall into its depths. Aerrow faintly remembered the Condor begin to rattle violently, pipes blowing from every side and the alarm flashing red. Piper's hand kept him from flying forward as the ship lurched, sputtered, and continued to descend. The sky knight reached out and grasped the pole, pulling himself to his feet and shrugging off Piper's restraining hand.

Aerrow ventured out a step with no support toward the controls. His feet treated the floor as if it were made of glass and his arms outspread for balance. Junko did the same and together they slowly made their way to where Stork slumped over the ship's control. The merb was doing the best he could to steer his beloved ship, but both he and the ship's failing strength was taking its toll.

A faint terra appeared in the distance. It was so clouded and hazy, Aerrow wondered if what he was seeing was a mirage. Stork shifted his weight to lean on the control, turning the groaning ship left toward the land. Aerrow almost made it to his friend when the left back engine failed. The ship tilted back. Aerrow and Junko fell back and Piper wrapped her arms around Finn. Stork, drifting in and out of reality, struggled to keep the Condor level. Aerrow landed on top of Junko on the bridge's back wall. Stork finally managed to tip the Condor back to normal, but the remaining back engine was under too much strain. The ship began to tip back again.

"Aerrow!" The sky knight looked up and saw Piper lying on top of the pole, her cheek pressed against the metal and both arms hanging on either side of it, her hands slipping from Finn's arm. The semiconscious sharpshooter was like deadweight. Her fingers slid from his wrist and Finn fell like a broken doll.

Junko, plastered against the back wall as the Condor tipped even farther back, forced his arms out against gravity and caught Finn as he fell. The wallop reached out and grasped Aerrow too, gripping his friends fearfully, staring up at Stork.

The merb had his long legs wrapped around the control and appeared to be trying to get on the other side of it. He succeeded and slipped onto the opposite side of the control as if he were going to drive the Condor backwards. He then reached out behind him, took a firm hold on the shattered window frame and pulled with all his might.

The Condor felt the request to go down and obeyed. The airship's nose lowered until it was level. Stork, with the support of the levers around him, came back around and resumed his position sagged against the control. The terra was not a mirage. The clouds parted and the sight of a green surface greeted them.

Junko tottered across the bridge and held on to the frame as he peered out against the wind. The wallop looked over his shoulder nervously. "We're coming in too low!"

Aerrow raced toward Stork to help him, but just then a front engine blew. Black smoke pored through the smashed windows and filled the bridge with unbreathable, acid air.

The Condor wobbled, the terra coming closer each second. The ship was still falling and it was obvious that it wasn't going to clear the terra's edge. The rocky cliffs loomed before the ship, prepared to crush the Condor and the Storm Hawks along with it.

"Pull into a hover!" Piper screamed, unable to move with the ship's lurches and shudders.

"I… can't…" Stork's body relaxed and he passed out on the floor.

Aerrow ignited his blue blades and stabbed one into the floor. Blinded by the smoke and pain, he pulled himself forward, then stabbed the other and bit by bit made his way to Stork's side.

The ship was on a direct collision course into the side of the terra. Aerrow let go of his blades in exchange for the control.

"Stork! I can't do this alone!" Aerrow shook the merb with is toe, not wanting to be rough but he desperately needed to wake him up. Stork's eyes fluttered.

The control suddenly flopped left, dragging Aerrow with it. The Condor turned in a half circle and headed away from the terra, still falling. Aerrow clenched the control with both hands and pulled as hard as his injured body could. The ship seemed as if it were going to rise, but decided to ignore Aerrow's orders and continued its plunge toward the wastelands.

"Stork!" Aerrow yelled in panic.

The sky knight was bumped to the side as Stork took the control and lifted. The Condor felt the request and obeyed. Slowly, but surely, the ship rose, its two remaining engines working furiously to lift the ship's weight. Stork turned the Condor around to face the Terra just as the alarms went nuts.

_And I thought they were loud before._ Aerrow's heart beat wildly. He found the railing and leaned against it. _It's all up to you Stork._

Stork stared at the terra ahead of them like it was a venomous snake. The Condor felt him tense and its flight grew bumpier.

The terra was just a few meters ahead. Everyone held his/her breath. Time seemed to slow and all Aerrow was aware of was his heartbeat.

Thump… thump… the terra was right ahead of them.

Thump… thump… Stork was sacrificing his body to keep the Condor's nose up.

Thump… thump… they were over the edge.

Thump… the remaining engines died.

Time quickened and the Condor bowled into the forest under its belly. Trees crumbled under the airship's hull and dirt flew on either side of the bow like a giant wave. Dirt, branches, roots and nettles came poring through the windows and Aerrow was lost in a tangle of loam and snarled pine branches. He was so tangled and buried that he didn't know if he was still inside and or he had been hurled out into the forest. The rear end of the ship slid onto the ground with an earsplitting boom and Aerrow's feet left the ground from the force. His fingers briefly felt a bent window frame and then he was falling. The sky knight landed hard on the hard packed earth, bounced, and then was on his hands and knees, staring in horrified awe as the crashing Condor's gigantic shadow fell over him. It was sliding.

Aerrow scrambled to get out of its way, but stopped when he saw Stork. He looked from the moaning mass of metal heading generally his way to his pilot lying like a mound of dirt directly in its path. He swallowed his terror and made a mad dash. He wrapped his arm around the merb's middle and scuttled like a frightened ant. The crashing sent a shock wave through the ground under his feet so powerful it sent trees toppling and birds flying. And still the Condor wasn't done crashing. It swerved onto its side, tipped forward, and fell onto its side. Aerrow was hit from behind by the gusts and was lost in the dust storm. Stork slipped from his grasp.

Dust settled. Aerrow raised his filthy head and peered out from over the dirt mound his tumbling body had made. With an exhausted grunt, the sky knight rolled over and pushed himself up with his elbows.

Almost hidden in the dirt and debris, the Condor issued one last, long moan.

_Just like the first crash._ Aerrow rolled onto his side and tried to get up. His eyes went wide and his back went rigid with a crack. The ground rushed up and before he knew it, Aerrow was right back where he started.

"Hey! Are you alright?" Running footsteps came from the trees.

Dumbest question ever. Aerrow didn't move to greet whoever it was. He couldn't.

Hands felt along his back and someone eased a folded shirt under his chin. Whoever was feeling his spine hit the sore spot and Aerrow cried out.

"This doesn't look good." It was a women's voice. "Don't move him. I'll be right back."

"Right." The man stayed behind while the women ran back into the forest.

_Well, this is familiar. I can just hope that theses guys aren't the Fawngos themselves. They could be anyone with that morphing crystal. _Aerrow's suspicion prevented him from relaxing completely as the man cut the linen still wrapped around Aerrow's chest. He brushed away the scraps and inspected the sky knight's ribs.

"This ain't good. You need professional medical help." The man got up and Aerrow could hear him cutting up wood to make a stretcher. Aerrow's frustration flared up. This guy shouldn't be fussing over him, he should be aboard the Condor to look for his squadron.

Aerrow formed the words on his tongue. It all came out in a long moan. The man rushed to his side. "What? Are you trying to say something?"

Aerrow coughed and decided not to confuse the man with a bunch of garbled words. Instead, he inched his arm around and pointed as best he could. The man followed his pointing finger to the wreckage of the Condor.

Just then the women came back. "I radioed for help. Let's get this one on the skimmers and take him back to Atmosia."

_No! _Aerrow pushed himself up, tears of agony squeezing from the corners of his eyes. "I… have… teammates!"

"No one could have survived that crash. It's a miracle you did. Anyway, that ship isn't safe at all to go aboard. One gust of wind and it could flip over. Now stay still and we'll get you out of here."

"_No!" _Aerrow slapped away her hand and stood bolt upright. Tears streamed down his cheeks, leaving clean streaks on his brown dirty face. Then everything went foggy and the ground rushed up.

* * *

I promise I'll update soon. This is get'n good. Thanks to Sandy Toes. 


	8. A lesson from ants

A lesson from ants

sigh… I'll say it again… _**I will not kill off anyone! Jeez!**_ So relaaaaaaaaax and enjoy the story. Love Stork! Stupid chapter name, sorry 'bout that.

* * *

Aerrow stared at the ceiling without actually seeing it. The bed he was in was supposed to be warm and soft, but instead it felt like a cold, hard bed of betrayal. The new linen wrapped around his body did nothing to subdue the pain he felt forming a hard lump in his chest. The big window overlooking Atmosia showed the people going about their everyday activities, oblivious to the horrible event that had occurred just a day ago. Aerrow rolled his head over to glare at the people going up and down the hall outside his room. They shouldn't be wasting their time here; they should be searching for his squadron! He didn't matter! They did!

An old doctor with a kindly face walked in and sat on the edge of Aerrow's bed. Aerrow avoided looking at him. The doctor leaned back to look at the sky knight's face.

"How do you feel?" The doctor's soft brown eyes searched his face for any hint of expression.

Aerrow didn't answer, just gazed out the window.

"Do you remember anything about the crash?"

"Oh, I remember everything!" Aerrow said angrily. "I remember that this is the second crash this week, and that I was torn away from my friends who needed me!"

The doctor shook his head. "No one could have survived a crash like that. It's a wonder how you lived."

Aerrow bit his lip. "Go back and make sure."

"The ship is way too dangerous to go aboard. One strong gust of wind could tip it over."

"I don't care," Aerrow growled.

"Please try to understand," the doctor said gently. "Your teammates are dead."

"No," Aerrow stared at the sheets in front of him. "No. Not like that."

"The ship is…"

"I said _no!_" Aerrow's fists clenched until they were blue around the knuckles. "They are not dead!"

The doctor stayed a moment longer, then got up and walked back to the door. Aerrow glared at the back of his head. The doctor stopped at the doorway and whispered to the nurse. Aerrow caught the words. "The boy is in serious shock. He'll get over his squadron's death in time."

"No."

The doctor and nurse turned to look at Aerrow.

"No. Not like that. They're alive! I know it!" The nurse issued a high scream as Aerrow leaped onto the bedposts. He pushed off and flipped right over their heads into the crammed hallway. Yells and shouts of surprise came from the astonished doctors and patients as Aerrow landed smack in the middle of the traffic. Stretchers, wheelchairs, and people crashed together while trying to avoid smashing into him.

The doctor yelled for him to stop and people came running. Aerrow threw a hasty over his shoulder and took off in a crazed run down the busy hallway. He dodged and leaped around and over people, upsetting lunches (which contained a large amount of pudding), overturning carts, and bowling over the occasional person who didn't get out of his way fast enough.

Aerrow still wore his uniform, the metal plates still attached to his shoulders and arms. He used his iron clad shoulder to ram open a side door and ran down another, even busier, hallway. His pursuers were right behind him. Aerrow ducked someone's crutch and slid through someone's legs. A hand took a firm hold on his arm and he shoved whoever it was into the people chasing him.

A window was at the end of the hall. Aerrow stole a cart, pushed it with his foot, and rode it like a surfboard. People now dived out of his way. Aerrow's fevered eyes were on the window. He was almost there.

A nurse must had predicted what he was going to do and slammed the window shut. Aerrow squeezed his eyes shut. It was too late to go back now.

The cart hit the wall and Aerrow was thrown forward. He smashed through the window shoulder first. Glass shards sparkled in the sunlight all around his like sharp water droplets, but miraculously none of them cut him. Aerrow dropped to his feet, staggered a little, and then ran away from the hospital and his grief.

* * *

Aerrow knelt panting by a small creek. The hospital and the Atmosia city were far behind. His legs trembled from the sudden workout and he gratefully scooped the clear water into his mouth. After he had drunk his fill, the sky knight leaned back and watched the clouds, trying hard to think of a way to get back to the terra his squadron was trapped on.

_They won't even consider the possibilities that my friends are somewhere on that terra, left behind when they need help most. _Aerrow glared at the sky, picking out shapes in the clouds to calm his mind. That cloud looked like Finn's sharpshooter. That one was in the shape of the Condor. Piper's spiked hair stuck up from a cloud that looked like Junko's head. The biggest cloud looked like a sandwich. Aerrow's stomach grumbled hungrily, but he pushed it out of his mind. A small cloud looked a lot like Stork. Another one, a little smaller, floated alongside the Stork cloud. It looked like the Condor's controls. _I must be so hungry, it's affecting my brain._

Something bit him on the heel. Aerrow twitched his foot, but didn't bother to see what it was. He got two more little nips on his ankle. Wit a growl, Aerrow sat up and realized that he was lying in the way of a line of ants.The impatient little creatures searched for a way around the intruder, a couple biting at his ankles to tell him to get out of the way.

Aerrow stood up and backed off. Immediately the sections of the separated line rejoined and the ants continued as if nothing had disturbed their work. Aerrow crouched down and watched them. They were so little, but so strong. The tiny creatures scrambled like mad around or over any obstacle in their path, dead set on getting to their goal. Just looking at them made Aerrow more determined than ever.

He backed up farther and suddenly his foot slipped on a smooth stone. He stumbled back and fell into a bunch of bushes. His head hit something hard.

"Owowowowowowow!" Aerrow danced in a little circle, holding his throbbing head. Angrily he scooped up a rock and chucked it into the bushes. It bounced back with a metallic clang.

Surprised, Aerrow parted the brush and found a camouflaged skimmer. It was weatherworn and red with rust, but the engine looked good and the wheels seemed solid. Thrilled by his find, Aerrow hopped into the seat and turned it on. A full crystal supply and the low rum of the engine sent chills up his arms. Aerrow pushed it out of the brush, remounted, and sped off along the edge of Terra Atmosia.

The skimmer drove beautifully, but he wasn't sure if the rotted wins would hold if he tried flying. _What the heck. I'm a risk taker. _He swerved left and drove right off the side.

He waited. "Rada…" Wait, he didn't have Radarr with him. With a sigh, he pulled the lever himself. The wheels folded in and the wings shot out, turning his fall into a graceful swoop. They rattled, but held. Aerrow revved up the engine and shot off at full speed.

Aerrow found the terra just as the sun was setting. It started as a silhouette against the red sky, and then as he came closer, a tree covered land. It was the one. Aerrow could see the Condor still on its side. No one had even bothered to take the old ship to Atmosia for repairs.

The old skimmer lost a wheel as he transformed back into a bike and dropped onto the solid ground. It wobbled and then fell on its side. Aerrow leaped clear and landed on his feet not far from the Condor. He looked over his home sadly, and then began to retrace his steps.

"Let's see… I landed here…" Aerrow found the scuff marks from his tumbling body. "I was running from that direction…" His running footprints were barely distinguishable from the scattered debris. "I fell out around there…"

Pleased that he was able to figure that much out, Aerrow walked a few times around the Condor, looking for any kind of hint of the whereabouts of his squadron. The doctor was right about the ship. With every gust of wind, the Condor threatened to tip over.

Aerrow was walking along the engines when his foot struck something hard. He yelped, then slapped a hand over his mouth. Aerrow didn't want anyone to come running, or a hungry animal to come hunting.

Nothing moved. After a moment of curious silence, the usual forest sounds resumed. Aerrow breathed a sigh of relief, then stooped down to inspect what his foot had hit.

It was Stork's x-ray binoculars.

It was his first pair. Aerrow picked it up and looked through it. The lenses were filthy and scratched, but intact. Aerrow aimed it to look inside the ship. He moved it from room to room, devastated at the mess inside. But he couldn't find the bodies of his teammates anywhere. He searched all over the ship until he came to the bridge. Aerrow passed over something bright red, then came back. It was an arrow painted on the back wall with red paint. It was pointing eastward.

The arrow had two meanings. Aerrow, when he was young, used to sign his name with a drawn arrow. Two, it was pointing the way.

Aerrow lowered the binoculars and turned eastward. The forest was slightly denser that way. An old gnarled tree at the edge of the clearing bore another bright arrow. Aerrow dashed up to it and swiped a finger across it. It was still a little damp.

He placed the binoculars at the base of the tree and took off at a jog, following the trail of red arrows painted on every other tree. A white smile lit up Aerrow's filthy brown face. On the ground were a mess of footprints; some human, the big footprints of a wallop, and the occasional merb's.

They were alive.


	9. The Kinkees

The Kinkees

Yeah... i tried to put an illistration on here, but it didn't work out. Stupid computer(grumble grumble) sorry if this chapter seems a little rushed. i wrote it on a bus.

Aerrow slowed to a limping walk, still following the bright red arrows painted on the trees. The marks were becoming less frequent and more dried out as if the paint was running out. Aerrow came to the darkest part of the forest just as the last of the paint ran out. The last arrow was a small smear of a pine trunk.

Aerrow stood in the middle of a tangle of branches, darkness, and a swarm of annoying mosquitoes. It was nearly midnight and the full moon shone like a silver coin in the starless sky. The sky knight glanced around, searching for a sign. None.

A quiet rustle spun Aerrow around. He stood like a frozen pole, chest rising and falling rapidly and his eyes daring from shadow to shadow. Oh, how he wished he had his night goggles. He slowed his breath and shouted out in a stern, demanding voice, "who are you? Come out and show yourself!"

Everything was still as if confused by his shouts, then a shadow moved from behind a tree. Whoever it was walked as if trying to be silent, but was miserably failing at it. Aerrow fumbled for the tiny flashlight he always had in his belt, clicked it on, and shined the weak light at the stranger standing barely a meter from him.

A Kinkee cowered in the beam of light, an arm raised to shade its eyes. It was older, with long antelope-like horns protruding from the back of its skull. Its rabbit face and long ears were quite handsome and its long body and enormous hooves were muscular. It blinked a few times, adjusting to the sudden brightness, and then peered over its raised arm at the sky knight.

"Um… and you are?" Aerrow lowered the flashlight, feeling guilty about frightening such a kind creature.

"My name is Ker'ata'kat. I'm the chieftain of the Atmosian Kinkees."

"Ker'atawha?"

"Ker'ata'kat. It's a traditional chieftain name." The Kinkee chieftain cautiously approached Aerrow. "Are you a Storm Hawk?" His voice was low and of one who was used to being in charge.

The question caught Aerrow off guard. "Um... yeah. How did you know?"

The kinkee's spot of an eyebrow rose. "Your uniform."

"Oh, right. My uniform." Aerrow felt like an idiot. He suddenly grew excited. "You wouldn't happen to have seen two humans; a wallop, a merb, and a weasel with this same uniform, now have you?"

"In fact I have." The Kinkee ran an eye over Aerrow's disheveled appearance. "I was with a foraging for food when suddenly the same group you described burst into our area. It caught us both by surprise and, before we could tell them we were friendly, they ran right back into the woods."

"And where was this?" Aerrow pressed Ker'ata'kat for answers.

"Right where we're standing." Ker'ata'kat gestured at the ground beneath their feet.

"Oh." Right where the paint ran out. "And they ran right back where they came?"

Ker'ata'kat stroked his chin, thinking hard. "No… more of a kind of southern direction."

Aerrow turned in the direction. "Thanks for your help…"

The Kinkee stepped in his path. Aerrow stopped short, surprised by the move. Ker'ata'kat's eyes shined. "Hey, if you come back to my village, then we can get you cleaned up and get you something to eat. Most of my tribe has never seen a human before. We usually keep to ourselves. It would be a treat to see a real sky knight human!"

Aerrow stepped to the side, trying to get around him. "As tempting as that sounds, I'm going to have to pass. I need to find my friends."

"Alright then," Ker'ata'kat moved out of his way. "But if you do, then I will have the tribe join your search. With many eyes looking for them, they will be found much sooner and maybe save their lives."

Aerrow stopped and turned an ear in the Kinkee's direction. Ker'ata'kat's eyes were sad. "I saw how they looked. The sooner they're found, the better."

The sky knight thought about it. Take an hour off to refuel his energy and start with many eyes, or he could search on his own right now on the short supply of vigor he had. He picked the one he saw as the wisest. "I'll go with you."

"Thank you." Ker'ata'kat bowed deeply before leading the way through the seemingly hopeless tangle of forest. Aerrow followed close behind, his eyes always searching for movement in the darkness.

It only took a few minutes for them to reach the Kinkee village. Aerrow was immediately surrounded by a crowd of curious Kinkees. They ranged from young adults to middle aged. Ker'ata'kat appeared to be the oldest. The chieftain gently, but sternly, shooed his tribe out of the way and ushered Aerrow into a lean-to built of branches and mud. As soon as he made sure Aerrow was seated comfortably, Ker'ata'kat leaned out the door and called for food to be brought.

Aerrow laid back, his stomach stuffed and his stamina at minimum. With half closed eyes, he watched Ker'ata'kat forming the search party for his squadron. Kinkees were intelligent creatures, their knowledge as wide as Stork's paranoia and as deep as Piper's brown eyes… oops. Aerrow shook the last thought from his brain and stood up. He walked from the lean-to and waited for the busy Ker'ata'kat to notice him. The chieftain did.

"Ker'ata'kat, I was wondering if you knew anything about morphing crystals?"

His forehead creased with Ker'ata'kat's thoughtful look. "Hmm... morphing crystals, eh? Hmm… I've heard a few things about them. Why?"

"We were attacked back on Terra Snowgra by a bunch of crazed Fawngos under the spell of a morphing crystal. I was wondering if you knew how to destroy one. A tent pole doesn't do much except a little chunk."

Ker'ata'kat laughed, a full and joyful sound like a bell. "A tent pole, eh? You'd need a lot more than that to destroy a morphing crystal!" He grew more serious. "I'm not entirely sure what it would take to destroy a morphing crystal. They're the hardest crystals, did you know that? Harder than diamond."

"Yes, but do you have an estimate? Would landing an airship on it break it?"

"An entire airship?! How big is this crystal?"

"A bit smaller since I hacked a small chunk off of it. It's about as big as a lean-to."

Ker'ata'kat whistled. "Wow. I didn't know they were mined in such large pieces. Well, the only real sure thing I know about morphing crystals is that, once someone gets one, its gets harder and harder to tear yourself away from it. It has some kind of hypnotizing spell that just grabs you by the mind and won't ever let go. After a while, not even the presence of another crystal can subdue the change of your physical shape. A master of a morphing crystal, though totally under its spell, can actually control what forms it turns him into. But with every form you take on, it just adds on top of your original form." Ker'ata'kat shook his head sadly.

"So, it's kind of like layers? You can't go back to your original form?" Aerrow was confused.

"Only if your first form is longtime. If you just get a little dose of it, it's nothing. The only way one could be returned to their original form is if the crystal is destroyed."

_Oh… good._ Aerrow could feel his relief calm his full stomach. "I was momentarily changed into a Fawngo myself. Let me guess, with each person it infects, the crystal becomes more powerful."

"Yes, and the more powerful it is, the harder it is to destroy." Ker'ata'kat smiled and moved closer. "Now that I've told you this, you know too much."

"Wha?" Aerrow stared at him, puzzled. The Kinkees swarmed around him like a cloud of locusts. Ker'ata'kat's smile didn't fade. It just grew bigger.

"Aerrow!"

It was Piper's voice. Aerrow whirled around, trying to see the forest beyond the surrounding Kinkees.

Her desperate screams came again, shrill and full of terror. "Get out of there! It's Stajj and his morphing crystal!"

Aerrow's heart slowed in disbelief. He suddenly felt like throwing up. Slowly, he turned back to face Ker'ata'kat. The chieftain had strode away to stand by a large lean-to. With one shove, he threw it onto its side to reveal the giant purple crystal hidden inside. Its violet surface seemed to pulsate with power, the only flaw the small piece Aerrow had extracted with a tent pole.

Stajj aka Ker'ata'kat's face deformed with a hideous grin at Aerrow's dumbfounded gape. "I was planning to kill you and your friends after we found them, but it appears that we have been exposed. _You will just have to do!_"

Aerrow couldn't run with all the laughing imposters on all sides. Stajj lunged at Aerrow with an intention to kill.

Again, I will not kill off anyone. Please review!


	10. A turn of events

Turn of events

Stajj lunged at Aerrow, small jagged teeth bared and claws outstretched to rip open his prey's throat. His gigantic Kinkee hooves weren't as fleet as his Fawngo's long legs, but his speed was still startlingly fast.

Aerrow sprang back, but was shoved forward by the jeering Kinkees behind him. He staggered and fell with his face in the dirt. Stajj skidded past him, slid around, and leaped into the air with his sharp hooves gleaming in the sun. Aerrow brushed dust from his vision, spotted him bearing down, and threw himself to the side. The heavy hooves slammed down on the ground where he had been lying seconds before. Stajj stamped at Aerrow's head, but fortunately they were too heavy to be very quick. Aerrow rolled away to avoid it, then flipped over to resist another stomp.

Stajj's nostrils flared red and it was quite apparent that he hadn't fully recovered from their last encounter. His appearance was sleek and healthy enough, but his strength was dangerously low. Aerrow used that to his advantage, even though he wasn't much better.

He struck out with a foot. Stajj caught it, but then Aerrow used it to lever himself up and threw a punch at Stajj's nose. The chieftain fended it off with his other hand, leaving himself unprotected. Aerrow swung his free foot and the hard steel toe connected with Stajj's manhood.

The sound it made was like a bar of iron smacking into a slab of wet meat. Stajj looked surprised and froze. The cheering Kinkees grew silent and they all gaped at their leader.

Aerrow smirked at Stajj's wide eyes. Finally a moan escaped from between his clenched teeth, and he slowly sank to his knees. Aerrow yanked his hands and foot from Stajj's grasp and jumped clear. The Kinkee made no move to follow, and then fell onto his side.

A gasp arose from the watching clan. They jostled unsurely, nervous at being in the same clearing with the guy who had just beaten their leader. Aerrow looked up at them. They yelped and scattered. Stajj snarled with rage and slowly rose to his feet, wincing and holding his legs at a funny angle. He glared after his retreating followers, then turned his fury to Aerrow. The sky knight spread his legs out, holding up his arms to ready for an attack.

Surprisingly, Stajj didn't charge. Instead, he raised his hackles and began to prowl in a circle around his victim. Aerrow, panting heavily from his lack of energy, followed his enemy with a watchful eye, gathering his strength. The gentle face of a Kinkee was the opposite when it belonged to Stajj. The hideous scowl completely transformed it into the evil Stajj really was.

_No, he's not really evil,_ Aerrow told himself. _He's under the control of a morphing crystal. I _need _to destroy that thing. But how?!_

Aerrow started when Stajj made a mock leap toward him. When the Kinkee saw that he didn't catch the boy in thought, he resumed his prowling with a growl. His yellow eyes watched the sky knight's every shift and twitch, waiting for his prey to relax. Aerrow risked a glance at the morphing crystal, still thinking of how to destroy it. It was what Stajj was waiting for.

Aerrow turned his attention back to Stajj a millisecond too late. Hundreds of pounds of muscle and hoof landed on his back and they fell to the ground with Stajj on top. His ribs felt like they were splintered as Aerrow hit the hard dirt and the pressure of the Kinkee on his back became even heavier. His lungs were squeezed from every little bubble of air they held and he was left wheezing for breath.

Stajj's eyes glittered with joy and his face screwed up even more at the delight at killing the sky knight slowly and painfully. He lifted his right hoof. Aerrow gasped for air, but it all came out in a whoosh as Stajj slammed it down on the back of his neck.

Aerrow's vision went black, his nose buried in the dirt and his lungs fit to burst. He fought to lift his face from the ground, but Stajj leaned even more on his right hoof, laughing his twisted head off. Aerrow's eyes filled with a mixture of tears and dust, forming mud and sealing his lids shut. He couldn't see, move and the pounding of blood in his head prohibited from hearing. The sky knight redoubled his efforts to lift the fifty pound hoof from his neck with no success. Finally, his strength was wasted and he lay helpless, slowly suffocating with Stajj grinding his hooves into his back.

_So this is how it ends…_ Aerrow pictured his beloved team, savoring the imaginary voice of each one. _Oh, if I could just see them one more time…_

The weight suddenly disappeared from his back. It took a few seconds for Aerrow to realize the difference. When he did, his head flew up in a flurry of dust and he sucked in the precious air kept from him for so long. His muddy eyes slit open through the filth and he pulled up a hand to clear it away.

The image of a hazed hoof came into focus not far from wear he rested his chin. With a gasp, Aerrow scrambled away from it. It moved, and then it was clear that it was a wallop's foot. Junko.

A gacking sound came from behind. Aerrow looked over his shoulder and saw Finn riding Stajj on his shoulders, his arm wrapped around the Kinkee's soft throat and Radarr was tying a rag around his wide eyes. Piper stood over Aerrow, a casual hand resting on her hip and her staff in her other. A blue striker crystal was loaded and charged. Stork was leaning against Junko.

Aerrow scrubbed his eyes furiously with a sleeve, disbelieving his eyes. Then he blinked a few times and gawked at his squadron totally kicking Stajj's butt. Piper tripped Stajj over her staff and Junko left Stork with Finn to tackle the Kinkee to the ground. The wallop produced a length of rope from his belt and wrapped it around Stajj's wrists, tying it off with a neat bow.

Stajj, finally lying helpless and beaten on in the dust, emitted an enraged screech through the leaves Radarr had stuffed into his mouth. Aerrow, too thrilled to speak, could only look around as Piper heaved him up and roughly dusted off his uniform.

"You're… all alive!"

Finn put his foot on Stajj's skull and struck a pose. "Well, we're not dead, so I guess that's the only other option to be."

Aerrow coughed and smiled despite his agony. "How do you guys feel?"

Dumb question. Again. Aerrow's team gave him a dull stare. Aerrow put up his hands as if to ward off an attack. "Alright then, let me rephrase that. How did you guys do after we crashed?"

"Not good at first," Piper said, leaning on her staff. "I was buried under a mess of loam and branches. I was about to suffocate when Junko managed to dig me out."

"Really? Well, I was stuck in the oven…" Finn began. He was shushed. Piper shot him a scowl before continuing. "Junko and I got out of the Condor and a few minutes later, Finn met us out there. Together we dug out Radarr, and a few supplies like the rope and my staff. After searching for what seems like hours, we were beginning to give up hop when here comes Stork. He just kinda staggers in from the forest, covered from head to toe in mud and blood and says, 'wow! What a ride! I landed in the middle of a swamp! Sure hop I didn't pick up any worms!' A couple minutes later, he and Finn collapses."

"Junko and I decided that it would be best to abandon to Condor just in case predators would smell the blood and come to investigate. So we managed to get Finn and Stork to their feet and started off into the jungle. It was my idea to leave arrows for you to follow, but there wasn't much paint. Right about when I ran out, we suddenly burst out of the trees into this strange village. We caught Stajj by surprise and saw him before he was fully morphed into his Kinkee form. We ran back into the trees and hid in a cave until we heard your voice. I wasn't sure it was really you, so me and Junko checked it out. When we saw you with Stajj, I had to warn you. I didn't know he would actually _lunge _at you. Sorry 'bout that."

"That's alright. I'm just glad that you're all okay. Well, alive," Aerrow said. Piper squeaked as Aerrow suddenly embraced her in a hug. She didn't quite know what to make of it at first. Aw, heck with it. She hugged back.

Finn and Stork were pressed on either side of them and Junko picked them all up, hugging them closely and not realizing that the small popping sounds were actually his friends' bones.

"YAY! We're together again!" Junko gave them one last tight squeezed before releasing them.

They tumbled to the ground in a groaning black and blue pile.

Junko smiled sweetly, unaware of their pain. "Aw, I love you too."

A tremble in the ground knocked Junko off his feet and luckily he landed on something soft; Finn. The wallop moved off of his friend. "Whoa! What was that?"

Piper supported Aerrow. "It feels like a small earthquake!"

Another rumble knocked them all down again. Aerrow stayed down. "Don't try to get up! Whatever it is, it's getting stronger!"

As if to prove his point, the next tremor was much more violent. Stork lifted his hands from over his eyes and watched the small stones around him quiver. "It's not getting stronger, it's getting closer!"

Aerrow didn't doubt his pilot. He had no idea how Stork knew, but he trusted him completely. "In that case, run away from the sound!"

"Don't bother." The Dark Ace dropped from the sky, standing on his hovering skimmer. His piercing red eyes only looked more evil in the glow of his red sword.

"Oh, not you again," Finn groaned. "Seriously, dude, you gave a tendency to arrive at the worst of times!"

"Only because I cause them!" the Dark Ace sneered down at the sharpshooter. "Hahahahahaha!"

Finn groaned. "Man, that wasn't funny at all. You really do have a mouth as big as your ego! So are you going to kick our butts or what?"

Dark Ace's eyes glinted coldly. "Maybe I will if you still have one left after we're done with you." Another rumble rocked the terra. "Ah, here they are now."

A huge airship roared from over the tree tops, the wind knocking the Storm Hawks flat. Dark Ace landed his vehicle, shielding his eyes and waving his blood red sword. About fifty skimmers hovered around the black airship, all loaded with striker crystals and aimed directly at the Storm Hawks.

Another rumble, accompanied by a boom, shook the terra. A red flash lit up the day even brighter. More skimmers zoomed into sight to fly in wide circles above the clearing, circling lower and lower like a bunch of vultures.

Two skimmers were carrying a strange rod. A large red crystal was inlaid in the middle of it. The two talons each held a side of the rod and raised it high over their heads, aiming it into the forest below.

The crystal emitted a high whine that got higher as it got brighter. At the peak of the sound, a beam shot out from the crystal and the terra shook from another explosion.

The scattered Kinkee clan ran screaming from the trees into the clearing. They stampeded toward the Storm Hawks, eyes rolling wildly in their sockets and white froth dripping from their mouths. Junko stood like a wall in front of his friends and the helpless Stajj, protecting them from the panicking Kinkees as they charged past them blindly.

The circling skimmers came down to fly only inches above the ground. The lead Kinkees ground their hooves into the dirt to halt their wild stampede. The terrified Kinkees behind them bumped into them and they jostled to turn around. The Talons began to tighten their circle, herding the Kinkees like cattle.

The Storm Hawks found themselves crammed in the middle of a herd of panicking Kinkees. Aerrow made certain that all of his squadron were together. Stajj lay still tied helplessly on the ground. Junko stood over him, but the chieftain still made a stifled yelp whenever one of his clan's hooves came too close for comfort.

"Well, well. The Storm Hawks and Stajj together. What luck." Smooth, soft, and dark, the voice of Master Cyclonis chilled every heart in the clearing, even the Talons. The frightened Kinkees' struggling ceased and they turned their faces upward, watching in terror as the master of Cyclonia herself descended down from the black airship.

I probably won't update for a while. I accidentally deleted my first chapter and im trying to get it back. Does anyone know how to do that?


	11. The End?

The End??

Sorry it took me so long. Yes, this is the last chapter for part 1. Part 2 will show up soon. And it's going to be AWSOME! Perhaps I'll do a Part 3.

* * *

The small round platform she was standing on lowered her slowly until she hovered above the heads of her captives. Her cape was blown from her body, displaying her fit, strong figure underneath. In her hand was her gruesome staff, a jagged purple crystal set in the hilt. Master Cyclonis' attention flicked over her prisoners, her sharp violet eyes taking in every detail.

"It looks like we have a big party here, Dark Ace," Master Cyclonis chuckled, her soft, silvery tone making Aerrow's blood run cold. The sky knight glared up at his enemy, feeling naked without his energy blades. Piper was the only one with a weapon, and she held the blue striker crystal at ready.

"Shall we kill them now, master?" Dark Ace was thrilled with Aerrow's helplessness.

Master Cyclonis tapped her lip as if thinking. Then she shook her head. "No… I came here for one thing and one thing only. Besides, after they're forced to surrender along with all the other sky squadrons of Atmos, I'd like see them crawl on their bellies in defeat like the worms they are."

Cyclonis' hovering platform lowered her to the ground and she stepped down. She glided gracefully around her captives and stopped before Stajj's giant purple morphing crystal.

Stajj finished chewing up his gagging leaves and spat them out. He forced his head up from his field position and snarled, "what are you doing?! Get away from that!"

An angry murmur rippled through the Kinkees. Cyclonis brushed off their outrage like a pesky fly and held out her hand. Dark Ace strutted up and placed a large crystal into her open palm. It was bright red with black lines spider-webbed across its polished surface.

"It's a wrath crystal," Piper whispered hoarsely. "I'm not entirely sure what it does, but I do know that it's extremely rare and very bad!"

Cyclonis held it up to the giant morphing crystal. Immediately the crystal's effects on Stajj's tribe weakened in the presence of another crystal and they flickered between their Kinkee and Fawngo forms.

The purple glow became blinding as did the wrath crystal's. Suddenly a red haze rose from the wrath crystal, spreading like a mist around the morphing crystal. The huge purple crystal shook in its metal base. The red mist spread out, pulling a purple haze from the larger crystal. The purple color was sucked out and the memorizing depths were left translucent. The purple mist mixed in with the red haze, turning it into a dark brown fog.

Cyclonis stepped away from the morphing crystal, leaving it picked clean of all its power. The fog enveloped the wrath crystal and, in a bright flash of light, was sucked into its blood red depths.

The morphing crystal sat like a glass sphere on its base, looking innocent of its deeds now that it was powerless. Dark Ace rapped its gleaming side with his sword and it shattered, showering the grass with a million broken shards.

A cry arose from the Kinkees. They grasped their heads and screamed, their appearances shifting and changing as if they were liquids.

Cyclonis held the wrath crystal up high, the bloody surface pushing back the sun's rays, enveloping the clearing in darkness. Smiling in her triumph, she turned and walked smoothly back to her waiting platform. Dark Ace bowed her admiringly as she passed.

"It will take a few days for the two crystals' powers to mix properly. We will be patient until then." The wrath crystal threw red shadows against her face as she turned to face the Storm Hawks and the howling Kinkees. The smile on her lips grew broader and nastier at the horrified and outraged looks she received.

Aerrow snatched Piper's crystal staff and shot a blue bolt at her. Cyclonis put out her hand and the bolt parted on either side of her. Before he could shoot again, her platform rose and she was whisked away into the black airship. The circling talons followed.

Dark Ace gave Aerrow a smirk. "You and your squadron look a little tattered. What a bunch of gleeps!"

"Hey! I like gleeps!" Junko shouted at the retreating Dark Ace's back. The airship rose, turned, and flew out of sight with its surrounding skimmers.

The sun became bright again and the forest's sounds resumed as if nothing had happened.

Stajj shrieked. Aerrow leaped back as a screaming Kinkee/Fawngo/something else ran by. Stajj's appearance shifted until finally the last of the destroyed morphing crystal's affects were wasted.

A bunch of ragged humans scratched their heads, looking around and whispering among themselves.

The ropes holding Stajj, big enough to hold an adult Kinkee, but too small for a human, fell away and a trembling, middle-aged man stood, just as confused as the rest.

"Wha… what…?" The man who had once been Stajj hesitated when he saw the Storm Hawks.

Aerrow handed the staff back to Piper and stepped forward, holding up his hands to show he was unarmed. The man drew himself up, looking down at Aerrow with a challenging eye. "State your name."

"My name is Aerrow, sky knight of the Storm Hawks. What was your last memory?"

The man's eyebrows shot up. "The Storm Hawks? You're not the Storm Hawks!"

Finn looked offended. "Yes we are!"

Piper pushed him to one side and took over. "The first Storm Hawks were killed by the Dark Ace himself years ago. We took their ship and their name in their honor."

The man blinked, rubbing his temples and looking from face to face. "What? Since when?"

Piper turned to Aerrow. "They must have been taken under Cyclonis' control before the first Storm Hawks were… well, killed. I remember reading about three squadrons who never came back from a mission about ten years ago."

Aerrow turned back to the man. "Who are you?"

"I am Merduri, sky knight of the Gold Falcons. The others are the Sky Dogs and the Shadow Cats. We were returning to Atmosia together, when…" the man shrugged. "I can't remember."

"That's because you were taken by the Cyclonians, obviously brainwashed, and were dumped on Terra Snowgra under the control of a powerful morphing crystal. You nearly killed us!" Finn grumbled.

Junko put a hand over his mouth before he could say anymore. Stork hissed in his ear, "They don't need to know that. What they don't know won't hurt them. They weren't themselves."

The tribe was indeed the missing three squadrons. Aerrow smiled as one pulled out a flare from his pocket and fired it into the air. Help would soon arrive. And the one time prisoners of the morphing crystal were finally free.

A few hours later, a rescue team was sent from Atmosia. They arrived on the forest terra and took the Storm Hawks and the other squadrons back. There, the missing squadrons returned to the council to be briefed about current knowledge of Cyclonia and to be updated with current events. A few weeks later, they were back in the sky and reunited with their families.

The Storm Hawks were sent to the hospital. The doctors were furious with Aerrow for running away, but then in turn apologized for not putting in much effort in the search for his teammates. The Storm Hawks patiently, if not reluctantly, waited for their bodies and minds to heal. The Condor was moved to Atmosia for repairs, and was in no time air worthy again. The sudden appearance of Cyclonis wasn't forgotten, but sky squadrons patrolling the border reported no movement in Cyclonia beside the usual. Yup, the worst part was over.

Only, it wasn't. Not even close. It was only the beginning… of perhaps the end of Atmos.

* * *

Oh, please… no… hold the applause… oh thank you thank you… you're too kind… oo… roses… the end of part 1! Stay with me for Part 2! It's going to be bigger, better, longer, and totally more awesome than part 1! Luv Stork!


	12. PART TWO

PART TWO

The first chapter of part 2 should be up in a few days. It's going to be bigger, better, and will take place a few weeks after the last chapter of part 1. It will have more Aerrow+Piper, totally unexpected twists and turns, and more action. Hopefully I will be able to live up to all that I just wrote grins nervously. In order to make it totally awesome, I will need lots and lots and lots of reviews! Stay tuned! (LUV STORK!)

-Supergirl


	13. Back in the sky

Back in the sky

This is the first chapter of Part two. It's just a bit of an intro, so the real stuff will begin in chapter two. :)

* * *

Silence was something that Stork rarely had he chance to enjoy. The merb leaned on his elbow, one hand on the control and the other supporting his cheek. He was slowly turning the Condor in lazy circles high above Terra Rex, searching for just the right spot to pull the airship into hover. There had to be just the right amount of wind to keep the ship aloft, not too much, but not too little. Just right.

Ah, there it was! Stork pulled the Condor to a halt and pushed down the lever. The engines lowered from a roar to a gentle hum. Stork felt the pulsations run through the ship. The Condor was talking to him, telling him that everything was secure and shipshape.

Stork stepped back from the controls and sat at the team's discussion table. He closed his eyes and leaned back, resting the back of his neck on the headrest. Ooh… silence.

The night was cool, but Stork felt warm. It was just too good to be out of the hospital, no matter how much medicine they had, and to be back inside the Condor. It was only three weeks after they were released, but Finn had already managed to cause trouble. He had accidentally tipped over a hat rack in a restaurant the day before, causing it to fall and knock the prime minister of Terra Rex unconscious. Now the team (minus Stork) had gone down to apologize for Finn's klutziness. Stork could only hope that the angry Rex Guardians wouldn't attack and shoot down the Condor while the others were away. Harrier and his squadron were furious.

Minutes turned into hours. Stork, tired from his usual lack of sleep from driving day and night, eventually fell asleep. His cat-like head rested on his folded arms on the table, breathing heavily and deep in his dreams. The sound of multiple skimmers landing on the Condor's runway didn't wake up the tired merb.

Aerrow wearily walked onto the bridge, followed by the rest. The sky knight was discouraged. In order for an apology to be accepted by the Terra Rex council, according to the code, it required the team to give up its entire supply of crystals. All the Storm Hawks had left were the engine crystals needed to fly the Condor. Even their skimmers were grounded besides the crystal dust supplied to them, which was only enough to get them to their ship. Aerrow collapsed beside Stork, massaging his aching forehead.

"Sheesh, I don't see what the big deal is," Finn said as he grouchily inspected his crystaless sharpshooter. "I said I was sorry, and I actually meant it!" He tossed his useless weapon aside. "Junko even made his a get well card!"

Junko held up a torn, colorful piece of paper tearfully. "And I spent so much time on it! The least they could have done was accept it! They didn't have to go and tear it up like that." The wallop sniffed.

Piper sighed and sat by Aerrow. "My room is totally empty."

Aerrow shook his head in disgust. "Them and their stupid code. We're completely defenseless now." The sky knight looked down at Stork. "And it looks like we're spending the night here."

"Let's just hope we're not attacked by anything," Finn said, stifling a yawn. "But I guess if we are, I could hold off Dark Ace by throwing the refrigerator at him. It's empty again."

Aerrow groaned and thumped his forehead on the table. Piper hugged him comfortingly. "C'mon Aerrow, giving yourself a concussion won't help anything. Let's all go to bed and start fresh in the morning." She got up and grabbed a pillow and blanket from under the table. She always kept them there for whenever Stork fell asleep on the bridge. The gadget specialist eased the pillow between Stork's arm and cheek and draped the blanket over the merb's head and shoulders. Then she turned and, yawning, headed for her quarters.

Junko hesitated at the hallway where their rooms were located. Finn, too tired to see or think straight (no that he ever does), bumped into his wallop friend from behind. The sharpshooter blinked and scowled. "Junko? What's wrong?"

The wallop shifted from foot to foot, peering into the dark hallway. "Um… no light crystals…"

With an exaggerated sigh, Finn led the way down the hall. The sharpshooter grouchily opened the door to Junko's room and motioned him inside. Junko stopped at the doorway, gazing into the dark room. Grumbling to himself, Finn disappeared into his own room, reappeared with a pillow and blanket, and slowly stumped past Junko the wallop's room.

A smile lit up Junko's face. "Yay!"

Soon everyone was asleep. Aerrow didn't quite make it to his bed and lay fast asleep halfway across his room. Piper was slumped over her sheets, clutching her empty staff. Finn lay curled up like a cacoon on Junko's floor and the wallop sucked on his thumb furiously. Stork was still seated at the table, deep in sleep by his ship's humming.

Danger drew closer.

* * *

Alright, for those of you who misunderstood, I deleted my first chapter from the list of chapters. My second chapter is now my first chapter, and I don't want to mess anything up more. Aurgh! Anyhoo… please review. 


	14. Defenseless

Defenseless

Stork woke up just as the sun's first rays peered from over the horizon. The merb brushed his hair from his face, and then realized where he was. He had fallen asleep on the bridge. Again.

He got up on his wobbly legs and unsteadily made his way to the controls. A little note was stuck to the handle. Stork peeled it off and waited for his tired eyes to adjust. The small, neat handwriting was definitely Piper's. It read:

Stork, we borrowed some crystals from the Gold Falcons and are flying to Atmosia for more. Will be back in a few hours if all goes well. Keep an eye out for danger and, if any comes, get the Condor into hiding. But I'm sure you know that. We'll be back as soon as we can. Be safe.

"Great. I'm totally alone and just waiting to become a plaything for a roaming troop of Cyclonians. Thanks guys." Stork took a hold on the control and jiggled it. The Condor's engines revved up and the ship broke away from its hover. "I'm doomed."

* * *

Cyclonia's sky was redder than usual, the fog thicker, and the air colder. Lightning flashed like jagged scars across the bloody clouds and the sharp peaks jutted from the fog like teeth.

Inside, the throne room was dark, quiet, and frigid. Violet crystal flames set in poles threw dancing purple shadows against the rocky walls. The only source of real light was illuminated from a large red crystal. It sat upon a black pillow at the top of the small staircase at the far end of the room, black lines spiderwebbed across its polished surface. A dark brownish haze was imprisoned deep within the crystal's depths.

Ravess, Snipe, and the Dark Ace strode inside through the elegantly arched doorway. Their footsteps echoed dully in the large room, upsetting the violet torches and causing them to burn higher as if to scare them away.

Dark Ace halted before the stair case and knelt. "You summoned us, master?"

"Yes," a soft, eerie voice came from the darkness beyond the stairs. "I did."

A rustle followed the voice and Master Cyclonis herself stood up from her seat several feet from the crystal. She stepped away from the darkness and approached the glowing wrath crystal.

"I hear that the Storm Hawks are in Atmosia." She stared into the red crystal as she spoke.

"Yes, master," Ravess said. "The Storm Hawks flew on their skimmers to Atmosia. Our spies told us that they were looking for a large abundance of a wide variety of crystals."

"How wide of a variety?" Cyclonis' violet eyes flicked from the wrath crystal to her servants kneeling at the base of the staircase.

"From striker crystals for their weapons to simple lighting crystals," Dark Ace replied. "It was as if…"

"They had none," Cyclonis finished. She was silent for a moment, then raised a lean hand and plucked the wrath crystal from its pillow. "This tells me two things. Do you know what they are?"

"Tell us so that we may know too," Dark Ace said, looking up as Cyclonis began to casually come down the stairs.

"One, the Storm Hawks' crystal supply is completely exhausted. They're helpless, so they went to Atmosia to restock." Cyclonis walked right pass them and proceeded to walk across the throne room. "Did they ask for any engine crystals?"

Dark Ace stood. "No."

She purred. "Good. Then that means that their carrier is still aloft somewhere, since they went to Atmosia on their skimmers. The airship is still running, but defenseless. And someone always has to stay with the ship."

Cyclonis halted halfway across the room and turned, holding the crystal up high. The entire room lit up in a fiery red glow.

"This crystal is as powerful as the Aurora Stone, and twice as deadly. But," Master Cyclonis' pale face and black hair turned a dark maroon in the glow of the wrath crystal. "In the hands of a master, it wields a most unique, and useful, ability."

The crystal's glow was like a blood red star. Dark Ace, Ravess, and Snipe were forced to shield their eyes against the brightness.

"It's almost ready. Send out Talons to find the Storm Hawks' airship, but tell them to keep out of sight." Cyclonis lowered the crystal and its glow ceased. Her grin was sinister and her fingernails tapped the stone as her mind worked its evil magic. "And I know just what to do to gain a valuable Talon and, at the same time, give the Storm Hawks a nasty blow that they will never get over."

Her eyes narrowed to slits. "Never."

* * *

Stork pulled the Condor to a stop behind a rocky mountain rising from the clouds below. It was big, rocky, and had a large crevice in the side that as more than perfect to hide a carrier.

The merb backed the Condor into the crevice and opened the hatches with the grappling hooks. He pulled down a lever and the hooks shot out and bit deep into the rock ceiling far above. Stork put the engines on low and turned off all the lights. The last thing he wanted to do was light up the crevice like a searchlight. The last thing he wanted to do was attract unwanted attention.

A low rumble came from the back of the cave. Stork drew in his breath sharply and listened. It came again, and then nothing. Stork placed a timid hand on the control, ready to rip the Condor from the crevice at the slightest hint of danger. Nothing.

Snapping. Stork's suspicions grew and he began to raise the engines' power. It was the sound of wings closing on a skimmer. A mechanic like Stork would know the sound anywhere.

The merb was prepared the move the Condor out, grappling hooks or no. he turned to start moving forward.

Something landed on the roof. Stork jumped in surprised and issued an 'eep'. Another heavy object clanged on the rudder and one on the front engines. The Condor moaned and shivered. Stork gripped the control and pushed forward. The airship began to respond, but then the engines sputtered and died.

Stork gawked at the spinning dials. They all read zero. The merb broke away from the controls and dashed to the engine crystal box. He opened it to reveal the dozens of blue crystals. They were dull.

"But these are brand new!" Stork hissed. "The only way they could be dead is…"

Three huge explosions came from the roof, the rudder, and the front engines.

"…if they were drained by leech crystals." Stork's eye twitched and his heart beat furiously.

"Very good Stork."

Stork whirled. There, standing in the middle of the bridge with a hand on her hip, was Master Cyclonis.

* * *

Darnit! It's too short again! I'm trying to make the chapters longer, but I don't want to add stuff that doesn't need to be there. It gets boring. Aw well. Review and luv Stork! 


	15. Cyclonis' prey

Cyclonis' prey

Finally! It's longer! Enjoy and I repeat; _**I will not kill off anyone!

* * *

**_

Stork's instinct toward danger told him to dive behind the engine crystal box, but he didn't.

_C'mon, Stork. You're a Storm Hawk. What would anyone else besides you do in this position? What would Aerrow do? _Aerrow would leap at Cyclonis with his energy blades drawn. Stork stared past Cyclonis at the Condor's control, wishing that he was there. At least he would stand a chance by springing his booby traps. But away from them, he felt helpless.

"Oh, what to do, what to do?" Cyclonis chuckled as she watched Stork nervously back away. "You're not so tough once you're not at your controls, now are you?" She flicked her wrist and her staff appeared.

_Not again, not again! _Memories from his fight with Stajj returned. Only, Cyclonis was much, much worse. _Aw, come on! I'm still recovering!_

A purple striker crystal was set into the hilt. Stork's back pressed against the bridge's back wall. The door was only steps away. Cyclonis watched him with an expression almost like humor as stork inched toward the door. The merb saw Cyclonis shift her grip on her staff, and he bolted.

A huge bolt of violet energy sped within millimeters from his head and blew up the door. Twisted metal fell into a pile, the melted steel sizzling and fusing together.

_Alright then, forget that exit. _Stork turned to see Cyclonis pop out the striker crystal and take out a frost crystal. Stork gulped.

A bolt of frost blasted toward him. Stork dropped and flattened himself on the floor. It went right over him and froze the pipes behind him. Stork leaped up and threw himself to the side to avoid another.

"Oh, you're fast. Too bad your reflexes are wasted on driving an old airship all day." Cyclonis kept firing blast after blast, following Stork as he jumped and rolled around the bridge.

Stork came to a corner. Cyclonis aimed carefully and blasted an extra icy one. Stork sprang high and grabbed a ledge on the roof. Cyclonis, unfazed, kept firing.

Then Stork did something that surprised even himself. He pushed off from the roof, flipped right over Cyclonis' head, and landed on his feet on the other side. The merb hesitated, not fully realizing what he did. But the little hesitation was all Cyclonis needed to whirl around and freeze him.

"Hanging around a sky knight squadron can do surprising things to creatures like you, Stork." Cyclonis raised her staff and took a step toward her victim. "They don't realize how much they need you. You're always left behind while the others go off on some exciting adventure. And then the come back with all these stories, and you can't take a part in them."

The frost quickly disintegrated and soon Stork was able to move. "So? That's the way it is!" Cyclonis' eyebrows came together in disappointment at her lousy shot. Stork moved away, watching her staff. Its tip moved in little circles like a snake, searching for a chance to bite.

"I'm going to give you invitation, Stork."

Stork's pale green skin was almost white with fear. _An invitation! Me? Why me; a cowardly merb pilot?!_

"I doubt you will, but I'm going to give you a chance to just stop all this nonsense and come with me."

"W… Wha?" Stork gasped out.

"I won't kill you," Cyclonis said smoothly. "You see, I need a test subject for my new little toy, and you'll fit the job nicely." Her violet eyes narrowed at her trembling prey. "I have my reasons."

Stork yelped and leaped to the left as another frost bolt went his way. The merb sprang onto the roof again. He positioned himself to do his flip again, but a frost bolt threw him off balance and he fell.

He landed amid a large pile of Junko's junk metal. The wallop had reluctantly cleaned his room earlier that week (made to by Aerrow and Piper) and had pushed a huge heap of useless scrap metal to a side of the bridge.

Stork's stomach was pricked by something sharp and multiple sharp edges cut into his skin. The merb struggled to get free of his metal prison. Pipes, bars, wires, knives and even a coffee maker clanked against one another as Stork madly elbowed through the mess. He finally shook free and scrambled to his feet. A large pipe, with a jagged, rusty edge, had slipped and put a long cut above his elbow. Blood ran down into his eyes.

"This is getting pointless." Cyclonis' tone was growing impatient. "I don't to hurt you, so stop this pitiful attempt and give up already!"

Stork tried to blink through all the blood in his eyes, but they were too full. He stood by the wall, blinded, scared, and trembling.

"There, you see? You'll only continue to hurt yourself if you keep resisting." Cyclonis' voice was so soft. "Just some along, I'll do what I need to do, and then we'll see how you feel then."

Still shaking and blinded, Stork felt along the wall until his groping hand felt a lever. Cyclonis shot a bolt, freezing his hand to it. And then she fired again. The bolt his other arm and plastered it against the windshield.

She leaned against her staff. "How 'bout now?"

"Not… yet." Stork lashed out with his foot and took a firm hold on a lever. _I love having thumbs on my feet, _he thought as he pulled it down.

Spikes shot up from the floor. Cyclonis narrowly escaped being skewered. Stork, not hearing a scream or even a gasp of pain, let go of the activated lever and ran his foot down the ones beside it. He found the one he was searching for and pulled it.

A large section of the wall on either side of the bridge pulled back and a nozzle appeared in each one. Cyclonis only had time to glance at them once before a clear, smelly liquid spurted out and covered her and the floor around her. She spat some from her mouth and made a furious move to raise her staff, but she only moved her arms about an inch before they went back to her sides.

"Glue crystals," Stork grinned at the sound of her outraged yowl. "A creation of mine by combining slime and water crystals. Very interesting outcome."

"Why you!" Cyclonis' body glowed with red power and the glue exploded. She flicked a bit from her hood and approached her victim. Her face displayed no hint of humor anymore. She shoved the tip of her staff into the blinded merb's chest. "I've had quite enough of this. Either yield and corporate, or I'll get rough."

"I choose…" Stork's cat-like head reared back and head butted her. As she fell back from the force, Stork's foot grabbed her arm and her falling weight pulled him from the ice.

Cyclonis was on her feet again in an instant, but Stork was already running for the cannon. He leaped into the seat and rotated it so that it was aimed for Cyclonis. She raised her staff defensively. The merb pulled on the trigger. Nothing. The cannon was empty, no doubt from when Finn was busy blasting all their striker crystals at a drawn picture of Dark Ace.

_Okay then, plan B. _Stork activated the cannon's platform and it moved outside. He got off and backed away to the edge of the platform, staring down into the crevice below.

"What are you doing?!" Cyclonis rushed up to the cannon, but stopped when Stork turned. His feet were teetering on the brink. "Are you mad?!"

"Maybe!" Stork shouted above the wind. "Tell me what you _really _want, or I'll jump!"

Cyclonis' surprise faded and she put a hand on her hip. "Oh, really?"

"Really." Stork glanced below him at the crevice whose darkness seemed to go on for ever and ever…

Cyclonis shook her head at the idea. "I don't believe it. Merbs don't have such instincts."

_She's right. I'm just a little stupid merb. _Stork shivered from the cold wind, hoping that she would believe his bluff. "I will jump if you don't tell me."

Cyclonis' eyes looked beyond Stork for a split second, and then her attention returned to him. To his surprise, she shrugged. "Alright, fine. I don't even know why I bother with you. There are lots of other lone pilots out there who are even more suitable. Go ahead, jump."

Stork didn't know what to say or do. The merb just stood there, his mind racing for ideas. Cyclonis suddenly sprang forward, her staff raised to fire. And then Stork turned, squeezed his eyes shut, and hurled himself from the platform.

* * *

"Alright, so I dropped a few lava crystals," Finn said, admiring his reflection in a striker crystal's surface. "No big."

"But I wanted those for my experiments!" Piper yelled. "And who knows where they'll land!"

Aerrow looked down at the clouds below, scanning the area. "After we drop these off at the Condor, we'll come back and look for them. Let's just hope that those bands will prevent them from bursting. Three lava crystals could wipe out an entire terra."

"Thanks to Finn," Piper growled.

Finn put down the striker crystal and pulled his skimmer up to fly alongside Piper's. "You know, if it wasn't for me, your life would be very boring."

"Not boring, just quiet," Piper snapped back.

Radarr pointed into the distance. Aerrow followed his finger and spotted the Condor. "There's the Condor in that crevice. We get there, and then you two can argue all you want."

"Finn, if you keep being such a klutz, you're going to end up hurting yourself," Piper said, snatching the striker crystal from Finn as he tried to balance it on his nose. "Keep your hands on your skimmer!"

"See? If I hadn't done that, you would have just sat there doing nothing!" Finn sat back and put his feet up on the control, steering his skimmer with his heels. "I think I've just proven how much you need me."

"No, I don't," Piper snapped. The Condor was just up ahead. "I'd still have Aerrow, and Junko, and Stork…" She squinted at the Condor and screamed. "Stork!"

They all turned to look and they saw Stork leap off of the cannon's platform. He disappeared into the crevice and was gone.

"No!" Aerrow revved up his skimmer and sped to the crevice's opening. He halted and hovered, staring down into the endless darkness. "Stork! Stork!"

Finn glanced at the cannon, turned his attention back to the crevice, and then did a second take. The sharp shooter gaped at the lone figure standing there. "Master… Cyclonis? Wha?"

Cyclonis smiled at them. "Well, hello there." She suddenly whipped out a blizzard crystal and froze them in to the side of the crevice with one swipe. "Comfy?"

"Cy… clo…nis! Aerrow fought under the thick shell of ice freezing him solid. Tears slid down his cheek and froze. "Stork!"

Piper cried openly, her half frozen eyes fixed on the crevice's darkness.

Cyclonis walked to the edge of the platform, joining their stare. A small smirk was on her lips.

It started as a soft hum, and then grew into a rumble. A red glow appeared deep inside the crevice. It got larger, slowly growing into the shape of a skimmer. The Storm Hawks could only watch as Dark Ace shot up from the crevice's depths, one hand on the steering and the other clenching Stork's neck. The merb was half on and half off the skimmer, struggling wildly to get loose.

Dark Ace brought his skimmer around the Condor and pulled around to land on the airship's runway. A few moments later, he walked onto the cannon's platform with Stork in tow.

"Stork!" Piper's muffled voice brought Stork's eyes up to the crevice's side and he gawked at his frozen friends.

Cyclonis laughed; a high, clear sound that ended like claws scratching down a chalkboard. "This couldn't be any more perfect!" From under her sleeve, she produced the wrath crystal and held it high. The entire crevice was lit up in red and thunder rolled above. The air became colder and the sky became darker. Sparks of pure power sprang from the wrath crystal's surface, hissing as they extinguished on the platform.

Stork gazed at the raging crystal, the dancing red glow dancing in his wide, terrified eyes. _Oh, crap._

* * *

You don't have to answer this, but do you guys think that I could actually write a _real _story? As in actually _publish _it? As in actually be a _real _author of a _real _book? 


	16. A friend lost, an enemy gained

A friend lost, an enemy gained

* * *

"You are lucky," Cyclonis said coolly, watching the Storm Hawks' horrified faces. "You are the first in five hundred years to see the wrath crystal in action. And now that it has completely absorbed and accepted a giant morphing crystal's power, it's nearly four times as powerful!"

"Cyclonis!" Aerrow struggled to free himself from his icy prison. "Let Stork go! He didn't do anything!"

The master of Cyclonia turned to smirk at him. "You think I'm doing this to your pilot because he did something to me?"

Aerrow struggles ceased. "Um… yeah."

"It's because of two reasons. Without a pilot, one of you, inexperienced at flying an entire airship, would have to replace his position as pilot, leaving another valuable position abandoned. And the other reason is…" She tapped her lip. "Dark Ace, what do you think the other reason is?"

The Dark Ace grabbed Stork's drooped ears and pulled his head back. He laughed. "I've seen sky squadrons after something happens to their pilots. They completely fall apart without the foundation on which their squadron is based."

Cyclonis' smile faded and she raised the wrath crystal over her head. "Enough talk. Let's see how powerful my new toy really is."

She closed her eyes and concentrated on the merb before her. Stork took a step back, but suddenly his feet were frozen to the platform. Dark Ace twirled his master's staff, the frost crystal still intact.

Junko broke through the ice holding him to the side of the crevice, sending chunks flying outward into the expanse. The wallop shook his feet free of frost, looked down, and then pressed himself against the rocky face again, breathing heavily and his eyes wide. "Whoa! That's deep!"

The wrath crystal sensed its prey. Cyclonis steered its searching energy toward Stork, and it drew in the merb's scent. It suddenly became bright. The noon sky became dark, and brownish clouds swirled above. The wrath crystal was ready to eat.

Stork flinched. The reddish haze rising from the stone was already touching him. Soon it completely enveloped him. A raspy gasp escaped from between his clenched teeth, and his body shook with effort.

"There's no use in fighting it," Cyclonis hissed, savoring the sight of someone in pain.

Stork fell to his knees, gripping the sides of his head. The wrath crystal flew up out of Cyclonis' hands and rose to hover several feet above its victim. The beam of red light became thick and it pulsed directly onto the merb. He cried out.

"Stork! Don't give in! Remember, you're a Storm Hawk!" Aerrow shouted as loud as he could, prying his arms from the ice. The force of his voice filled the gorge with earsplitting echoes. "Whatever that crystal is doing to you, rebel it!"

Suddenly the brightest flash yet blinded them all. The heat immediately melted the ice holding them to the side of the crevice, and the Storm Hawks fell.

Aerrow griped his vehicle like a vice and Radarr managed to flick the lever to start up the engine again. He pulled up the control and his skimmer responded. Junko and Finn were also successful, but Piper was having difficulties. Her heliscooter dropped like a rock, its engines clogged with ice.

"Piper!"

Piper looked up from her plunge into the crevice's depths. Finn had turned off his skimmer's engines and was falling alongside her. He stretched his hand out to her. "Grab my hand!"

Piper fumbled to untie the sack of precious crystals tied to her seat, but it was frozen solid with frost. She tugged furiously at it, falling deeper into the darkness.

"Leave them!" Finn leaned over and took Piper's wrist. She reluctantly leaped from her heliscooter onto his skimmer and hugged him around the waist tightly. The sharpshooter hastily turned the engine back on and they rose from the darkness toward the red light far above. Piper watched as her vehicle and crystals vanished into black, never to return to the surface.

Aerrow and Junko pulled up alongside them and together they burst from the crevice's mouth. Aerrow lead the way to the Condor's runway. The skimmers screeched against the landing strip, the tires smoking from abuse as the Storm Hawks grounded their vehicles to a halt. The second their feet touched the floor, they were up and running to the hanger bay.

Finn was the first to reach the cannon's platform. He skidded to a stop and simply stared. The rest joined him. Aerrow growled and activated his energy blades.

Stork laid at Cyclonis' feet, his body still enveloped in the red mist. The wrath crystal was back in Cyclonis' hands, glowing happily as it worked its twisted magic inside Stork's mind.

"Stop it! Get that thing away from Stork!" Aerrow demanded, pointing a blue blade at Cyclonis and Dark Ace.

Cyclonis looked him in the eye, her violet eyes against his green ones. "It wouldn't matter if I took it to the other side of Atmos. The work here is done."

Stork stirred. The red mist cleared. Cyclonis caressed the stone and backed off with a small smile.

Aerrow, Finn, and Junko stepped toward their friend, watching Cyclonis and Dark Ace suspiciously, but Piper threw caution to the winds and ran to Stork's side.

"Stork! Stork!" Piper shook the merb's shoulder. "Wake Up! Are you alright? What did-"

"Shut up."

She drew her hands away from the merb as if she had been burned. "What?"

Stork slowly sat up, glaring at her. "I said shut up. You never stop talking, do you?"

Piper gawked at him. Finn knelt beside her. "Dude, what happened to you?"

"I hate your voice most of all," Stork spat.

Aerrow stooped to look into his pilot's eyes. Stork's yellowish eyes weren't yellow anymore. They were crystal white, a red iris surrounding his pupil. Aerrow sucked in his breath and he jerked Piper back right as Stork lashed out with his foot. The merb leaped up, snarling at his puzzled friends.

"Stork!" Aerrow used his most commanding tone, placing himself between Piper and the angry merb. "What has gotten into you?! Calm down!"

Venom dripped in Stork's voice. "You don't order me around anymore, sky knight! I won't be influenced by a hopeless group of _children _chasing fantasies!"

Aerrow was speechless, as were the rest of them. Stork backed away from them, baring his teeth. His red eyes were haunting.

"Ah, now would you look at that," Cyclonis' sudden voice startled them all. She smiled and looked up at Dark Ace. "It works!"

Dark Ace looked down at his master admiringly. "So it does. It's more than perfect!"

Stork stood between the Storm Hawks and the Cyconians. Master Cyclonis gestured for him to come closer. He did.

"No!" Piper brushed past Aerrow and grabbed Stork by his elbow. The merb whirled and smacked her so hard; she was sent tumbling back to Aerrow's feet. Blood gushed from her nose and her head flopped over. Finn and Junko bent over her. Aerrow approached his enemies and Stork. The sky knight wasn't hurt and confused anymore. He was angry.

"Cyclonis, you filthy, rotten weasel!" Aerrow clenched his energy blades in helpless rage, knowing he was no match for the both of them. "Turn him back!"

Cyclonis looked almost innocent. "Turn him back? Why, my dear sky knight, I didn't turn him into anything. It was all this!" She aimed the wrath crystal at Aerrow.

The mist arose from the stone, but then was sucked back in. Aerrow's forehead glistened with sweat of pure terror and his heart beat like a jackhammer. Cyclonis lowered the crystal, disappointed. "It seems that the crystal is not strong enough to do two people in a row yet. Aw well, I guess I'll just have to wait." She put the crystal in her sleeve. "Until then, farewell."

The big black airship appeared alongside the Condor. It was loaded to the rails with talons, all armed, and several cannons were pointed at the Storm Hawks. Dark Ace waved and a long ramp as lowered down to the platform.

"Wait!" Stork looked over his shoulder at Aerrow's shout, as did Cyclonis and Dark Ace. The sky knight's arms hung loose at his sides, his blades dropped upon the floor. He gazed sadly at Stork. "Please, Stork. Don't."

The merb scowled at him. "I would rather have swampland bog fever than stay with a squadron like you!"

Tears sprang into the Storm Hawks' eyes. Piper, holding her sleeve to her bleeding nose, coughing uncontrollably as she wept. Cyclonis walked up the ramp without a backward glance. Dark Ace waved Stork to follow her ahead of him and the merb obeyed, casting backward glares at his former friends. Dark Ace gave Aerrow one last evil grin, and then he too boarded the black airship. The ramp was drawn in, the ship rose, and then they were gone.

It began to drizzle.

* * *

Yep, so sad. I'll add the next chapter soon. Oh yeah, I have this story I've been working on for about the past year and a half that is unique and I really like it. I'm working on the third, and maybe final, draft. It's really good. The characters are great and I've made up my own land and everything!


	17. Broken halves

Broken halves

"How's your nose?" Aerrow sat by Piper at the dining table. "It isn't broken, is it?"

Piper took the towel from her face and ran her finger up and down the bridge of her nose. "No, it's not. Just my heart." Her eyes were puffy and red from crying and her voice was raspy.

Finn was unsuccessfully attempting to fly the ship. The Condor lurched and sputtered. The turns he tried to make became rolls. The sharpshooter ranted at the ship as he tried to level out the flight.

"Stupid ship!" The sharpshooter lugged at the control. "I'm giving you an order to go up! Move up! Not down! Up! What's wrong with this ship?! Stupid!"

Junko sniffed, staring at the squadron's only portrait. Aerrow was in front with his blades out, Piper was leaning with an arm on Finn's shoulder, Finn was doing his little flirty gesture, Junko was standing with his muscles flexed, and Stork was in the background behind Radarr, who was doing a little sky fu move. Junko sniffed again and wiped his nose on his sleeve.

Aerrow lingered behind the wallop, not knowing what to say to him. Finally the sky knight approached and put a hand on his shoulder. "Oh, c'mon Junko! Cheer up! Stork isn't gone; he's just… temporarily gone. We'll get him back."

Junko looked down at him with big, watery gray eyes. "Really?"

"Of course! I really don't know what that crystal did to him, but I doubt it changed him completely. As long as Stork's still in there somewhere, he's not gone." Aerrow hoped he didn't sound like he was convincing himself too.

Junko put down the portrait gently and blinked rapidly. "You're right! We shouldn't be sitting here and moping! We should be figuring out how to get Stork back!"

"I've found something!"

They turned and looked at Piper. She pressed the towel to her nose as she flipped through a large, dusty volume. She stopped on a page and tapped it. "This is my only crystal book. I haven't taken it out in years since it only has old crystals, not the new ones. It's, like, five hundred years old!"

"That's the last time the wrath crystal has been used!" Aerrow peered over her shoulder. Junko and Radarr joined them. Finn, left at the Condor's control, stared longingly after them. "Hey! I want to see!"

Piper ignored him. She ran her fingertip along the words and checked the illustrations. Aerrow read over her shoulder. Finally Piper perked up. "I've found it!"

Suddenly the Condor tipped. The book flew from the table and flopped closed upon the floor. Finn screamed and fought to turn around. A huge mountain peak stuck out of the clouds ahead. The Condor moaned, confused by Finn's directions. Piper sprang from her chair and, with the help of Finn, turned the out-of-control ship. The Condor turned to its side, but didn't stop moving toward the mountain.

"What's wrong with this freak'n ship?!" Finn shrieked right before the airship's side collided with the peak. The ship trembled, the lights went out, and the engines coughed.

"Nice going, Finn," Piper growled, feeling along the wall for the emergency light switch. The dimming afternoon sun outside didn't help.

"Ow! Junko! That's my foot!"

"Get your elbow out of my ribs!"

"Who just sneezed on me?"

"Rawr!"

"Who did I just step on?"

"Who's foot is this?"

"Where's the lightswitch?"

"It's over there!"

"It's too dark to see where you're pointing!"

Finally, after much shoving and arguing, Junko found the emergency light switch and turned it on.

Finn propped his cheek on his palm, leaning against the control. "We need Stork back."

* * *

Stork's red eyes took in his depressing surroundings. Master Cyclonis' throne room was dark, fearsome, and very evil. The merb swallowed hard as Master Cyclonis walked in slow circles around her new talon, looking him up and down. "So, how do you feel?"

"I… I don't know." Stork looked down at his bare toes. "I feel kinda bad."

"That's good. You are bad now. And once your mind and body completely adapts to your new life, you'll loose your old fears, your emotions… and your old friendships." She paced up to him and gazed into his eyes. The irises surrounding his small pupils were so red; they looked like twin drops of blood. The wrath crystal had done its job perfectly. In a few days, the merb would be totally evil.

"I…" Stork hesitated.

Cyclonis raised a thin, black eyebrow. "You have doubts?"

The merb tore his gaze away. "I think I should go back, but then again, I want to stay."

The master chuckled. "Just wait a couple of hours. The crystal will also erase your sense of guilt and all those other feelings you don't need."

Stork pressed his fingers against his temples and, flinching, backed away from Cyclonis. "I… this doesn't feel right. Oh, I'm so confused!" He fell to his knees.

Cyclonis' violet eyes gleamed in delight. "Just be patient. This is all part of the process." She turned to the doorway as Dark Ace came in. "Ah, here he is. Dark Ace will be your teacher. I have plans for you, Stork, great plans!"

She began to circle the suffering merb. "Merbs are fast, smart, and extremely flexible. Once your fears are gone and you're totally adapted, you'll be a very valuable talon. And once the wrath crystal is more powerful, I'll be able to change any species into my servants. You're simply the first one." She chuckled. "Now isn't that an honor?"

"Please… please just stop!" Stork moaned. "I'm not… evil!"

"Not quite yet, but soon you will." She clapped her hands and two talons appeared. "Take this young merb to his room. Give him clothes to his choosing after his guilt goes away."

The talons lifted Stork to his feet and lead the trembling merb from the room. Dark Ace looked at his master adoringly. "You are incredible, master!"

She smiled and walked up the steps to her throne. "Oh, I know."

* * *

"Ah ha! I've found it again!" Piper blew dust from the page and read aloud, "the wrath crystal s one of the rarest crystals to be found. They are bright red…. Dah dah dah… and are considered to be one of the most beautiful stones ever found. This unique crystal has great power, but terrible."

"Oh, that does _not _sound good!" called Finn from the control. The others shushed him and Piper returned to reading.

"The wrath crystal has the ability of kind of like a red storm crystal, but much more powerful. It can also suck other crystals' power out to use as its own. But history has it that the wrath crystal had once been used to turn others evil!"

"The wrath crystal can, when used by a master, actually go inside someone's mind and bring forth all his/her past frustrations, pains, angers, and loneliness and use them to affect their sense of judgment. The results are confusing feelings of anger. After that, it's up to the individual person of how evil they really are."

Aerrow pulled the book toward him after she stopped and scanned the paragraphs. "Well, that explains some of it. So, according to this, the wrath crystal has been used before. But how do you destroy one?"

Aerrow and Piper spent the last few hours until midnight reading through the old book. Junko and Radarr eventually got bored and fell asleep. Finn began to complain as soon as the sun went down. Soon it was as dark as the crevice they had left far behind.

* * *

Stork sat doubled over on the side of his hammock. The room he was assigned to was small, warm, and dark. Beads of sweat clung to his short green fur as the halves of his mind raged against one another. One told him to stay, that he was meant to stay and be evil, that he hated the Storm Hawks, that the uniform he wore was like poison on his skin. But the other half felt heavy with guilt, so tired, so homesick. He missed the Condor, his friends, the familiar scent of Piper and the feel of the airship under his hands. Stork put his head between his knees and massaged his head. He wanted a sandcake so bad.

Outside, the usual Cyclonian storm's fury grew, like the many feelings Stork felt battling inside of him to win him over. The merb stood, only to stumble against a wall. His head ached like an anvil had been dropped on it. He pressed himself against the wall, holding his skull and slowly slid down it to crouch on the floor. Stork's senses wavered, and he fell forward. He laid there, his entire past life with the Storm Hawks seeming more and more like an entire waste of his time. He gritted his teeth. Why can't they see that Cyclonis would win no matter what they did? No! Cyclonis would never win! But she had so much power… power that the sky knight squadrons would soon destroy… but not if she destroyed them first… but she hasn't succeeded yet, maybe there's a chance… no, she's just patient, she'll get them… not if they kill here first…. But Cyclonis couldn't be killed… or could she… no, she had too much power and back-up… the sky knights do too… but not as much as Cyclonis…

The wrath crystal magic was powerful.

* * *

Just to answer 'Shiver's' question; no, I do not have a beta reader to check for spelling and sentence structure errors. I do it all on my own. It's not too good, but I guess it's better than some people's. I'll update soon! Stay with me and luv Stork! 


	18. One of them

One of them

Aerrow woke with a start. He unfolded his arms from under his head and straightened in his chair. The old crystal book was still open and was being used as a pillow by Piper. She snored gently.

The sky knight got up and found Finn lying on the floor near the control. The sharpshooter had discovered how to pull the Condor into hover and had done so. The sharpshooter mumbled softly in his sleep. Junko was holding Radarr like a teddy bear, sucking on his thumb like he always did when he was upset.

Aerrow stepped over Finn and took the control gingerly. He had watched Stork fly the airship many times and the merb made it look so easy, but now that Aerrow was at the control with all the levers, dials, and the huge sky open in front of him, it didn't seem all that simple.

Alright, he knew that the lever to pull the ship out of hover was on the right. His hand drifted over the dozens of look-alike levers on his right. Um… this one? He grasped one and yanked it down. The engines roared and the ship shot backwards.

Aerrow's team screamed and were thrown toward the controls. Oops… wrong one. Aerrow put that lever back up and pulled another. The ship slowed its charge backwards… and dropped. It wasn't that lever! The sky knight finally yanked the largest lever closest to him. The drop ceased, the Condor rose, and then settled into a wobbly forward flight.

Finn sat up, a bucket lodged on his head. He stood up and tried to look around. "Hey! Where's the light? Is it the middle of the night still?" He took a few steps and began to berate Aerrow. "Fly'n the Condor is my job now! I'm the expert… well, at least I know what lever does what… sometimes… still! You could have just woken me up!"

Aerrow raised an eyebrow and leaned against the control casually. "You're facing the wrong way, Finn. I'm over here."

Finn whirled around, confused, and then reached up and felt the bucket wedged around his skull down to his neck. Junko came up from behind and wretched it off, almost taking Finn's head with it. The wallop joyfully slapped him on the back. "There ya go, buddy!" Finn fell to the floor with a smack.

Piper detangled herself from under the tumbled dining table, feeling around the smashed chairs for the book. She found it and shakily stood up, sighing as she looked at the mess littering the bridge. "Oh yeah, nice going Aerrow."

"Oh, like you could do any better," Aerrow grumbled, swerving unsteadily around a pair of white Snowgra whales. The giant flying beasts turned and stared after the funny carrier lunging and sputtering away.

The storm had ceased at Cyclonia. The first thing Stork saw were his hands flopped on the floor in front of him, and then his aching eyes focused and he took in his surroundings. After a moment of panic, he remembered the current day's events and closed them again. Cyclonis had said that his guilt would be gone in a few hours. But if it wasn't guilt, then what was that big lump in the middle of his chest? A tumor?

The merb gradually lifted his head and got up from the floor. His spine, stiff from sleeping on the stone floor, complained as he uncurled and walked up to his bed. On the mattress were a neatly folded black leather tunic, black and dark green patched pants, and black gloves. He picked up a glove and felt pleased that they remembered that his kind had only four fingers.

The door opened behind him and Stork whirled around, his teeth bared and his fists clenched. Dark Ace walked in. "Ah, you're awake. It's about time."

"You would be out a long time too if you had a wrath crystal messing around with your brain!" Stork snapped, barely recognizing his voice.

Dark Ace's eyes narrowed. "What are you saying, kid?"

"I'm confused!" Stork said angrily. "Cyclonis said that all this pain I'm feeling would ceased in a few hours. It's been an entire night, and I still feel it! I want it gone!" The merb sat on his mattress, grasping his head. "I feel so guilty, so guilty."

"Well, don't," Dark Ace said impatiently. "You're one of us now, so stop feeling in such a way. One of us can't afford such feelings."

"I don't feel like one of you." Stork shook his head. "But I don't feel like a Storm Hawk. I'm so confused."

Dark Ace stared at the trembling young merb. Stork was shaking from outrage. The Talon turned and walked out. "Put the Cyclonian clothes on and then come to the throne room. Do you remember where it is?"

Stork thought, and then nodded. The merb looked tired and depressed.

"This might be a problem," Dark Ace mumbled, hurrying to the throne room. He burst into the room and slowed to a walk to stand at the base of the stairs.

A soft voice spoke from the darkness at the top of the flight of stairs. "Speak."

Dark Ace knelt. "Master, it's the merb."

"Ah," a sigh of contentment washed over him like cold water. "He is perfectly altered to our side, no?"

Dark Ace was silent. Cyclonis stood and walked to the top step. "What happened? What's wrong?"

"He's… not… exactly," Dark Ace said. "I don't know what went wrong. He should be completely washed of his guilt, but he's not. He's angry and confused and I can tell he's homesick."

Cyclonis' violet eyes wandered from Dark Ace off to the side of the room. She stared into the shadows as if the answer laid there. Finally she spoke, "the wrath crystal must not have been at its full power when I used it on Stork. I underestimated it because I was so eager to try it out," she shrugged and began to come down the stairs. "All well, what would we ever learn if we didn't have mistakes."

Dark Ace stood as Cyclonis walked by him. "So what are you going to, master?"

Her slim fingers curled around the gleaming red and black crystal. "What I can to ensure his loyalty to me."

"Go left! Left!" Finn screamed like a girl as he threw himself on the control. The ship moaned. The alarm flashed red, its loud whine shaking the bridge and roaring in their ears. Piper clung to a pipe for dear life, shrieking, "Finn! Stop the ship! Stop it!"

"I can't! This freak'n ship has a mind of its own!" Finn yanked on the control, but the Condor flatly refused to stop. The ship kept going, sputtering on and off and flying around in aimless circles.

Aerrow's fingernails grated on the floor. The sky knight slid down the bridge as the ship tipped, and Junko fell on him as Finn jerked the ship the other way. Radarr wrapped himself around his master's leg, screeching in terror.

"Just shut the Condor off! Cut the engines!" Piper was smashed against the window, staring down at the terra just a few dozen meters below.

Finn looked frantically around at the many levers. "Which one is it?!"

"I… I think it's the second biggest!" Piper dragged herself away from the window, sickened by the speed.

Finn pulled down the second biggest lever. The grappling hooks shot out and fluttered behind the out-of-control airship like kites.

Piper flattened herself against the back wall, trying to hold down her breakfast. "Try the third largest!" He did.

The ship's engines shut off and the Condor gently glided down onto the rocky terra that was luckily below them. The ship grounded to a halt and the blue crystals powering the Condor went dim.

"Well," Finn said, peeling himself off the windshield. "That could have gone better!"

Aerrow emerged from the oven. "But it could have been worse."

Finn thought about that. "True."

They all made their way to the center of the bridge. Piper unwrinkled the map crushed by Junko and spread it on the floor.

"Any idea where we are?" Aerrow asked, rubbing his swelling head.

"Well, since we're heading toward Cyclonia," Piper bent over the map, musing over the landmarks. "We should be…" Her finger shot down. "Here!"

"Terra Mars," Finn read. He looked out the window at the barren, rusty colored terra. "It fits!"

Aerrow opened the hatch and peered out. "We need to see if the Condor is damaged. Bring your weapons and _be quiet!_"

Just on the way out, Finn tripped over Radarr and rolled down the ramp, screaming his head off. Junko caught him halfway and clamped his huge hand over his mouth. They all tensed and listened to Finn's scream fade away. Finally, after a moment or two of silence, they released the breath they were holding.

"Finn, don't make any noise," Piper hissed. "Hence the _be quiet _part!"

Finn, his pride deeply hurt, just dusted himself off and cocked an arrow into his sharpshooter. He walked along the hull, grumbling, "sure, what a way to thank a guy who saved you from falling into a crevice of doom. I saved your life, at least you could do is show a little gratitude…" He trailed off and stared. "Uh… guys?"

The rest of the team were scattered on the other side of the ship. Finn unsurely held up his sharpshooter and came closer.

A little purple lump sat on the ship's hull, juggling up and down as if it were sucking on the metal. Finn walked up to it and gazed closely, trying to decide what it was. He scooped up a shriveled twig from the reddish dirt and poked it.

Finn's screams brought the rest of the team running. They skidded to a halt at the sight of Finn running around in circles like a chicken with its head cut off, a little purple lump clinging to his forehead. The sharpshooter saw his friends and ran to them, screaming, "Get it off! Get it off! It's sucking out my brains!"

Piper took a hold on the purple lump as Finn ran by and it came right off with a pop. Finn, not realizing that it was gone, resumed running around pointlessly.

Aerrow peered at the lump in Piper's hands. "What is that?"

"I don't know," Piper said, tickling it. "But it's awfully cute!"

"What are you talking…?" Aerrow moved closer and saw two big eyes staring sorrowfully up at him.

Junko was thrilled. The wallop scooped it up and cuddled it to his chest. "Aw! So cute! I'll name you Mr. Jiggles!"

Radarr snarled at it from Aerrow's shoulder. Aerrow peeked around the hull and grinned. "Good. We aren't damaged."

"Hey! Look! There's another!" Piper brushed past Aerrow and picked up a little yellow blob. "And another!" A green one joined the yellow.

Suddenly they were surrounded by tiny, jiggling blobs gazing up at the strangers. Piper darted from one group to another, cooing, "Oh, you're the cutest! No, you're the cutest! Oh, you're all so cute!"

Aerrow and Finn nervously backed away. The sky knight stepped onto the ramp. "C'mon, guys. We'd better go before they do something bad!"

Piper caressed a blue blob. "Oh, what could a bunch of cuties like these do to us?"

Junko had a big armful of them. "Yeah, they're harmless!"

Aerrow cautiously peeled a blue one from his foot and placed it on a rock. "Well, I guess they aren't dangerous."

Finn scrubbed at his forehead, a purplish slime clinging to his skin. "No, just gooey."

Aerrow shrugged. "Alright, bring one each."

Piper and Junko cheerfully picked two out and then they all retreated into the ship. The girl and the wallop rushed to their quarters with their new pets and Aerrow and Finn concentrated on lifting off. The Condor rose, turned, and then slammed to the ground a few feet from where they lifted off. After a moment of argument, the ship finally lifted and flew away.

Stork walked into the throne room, clad in his new clothes. The Cyclonian symbols were printed on the shoulders of his black tunic and were also on his gloves. The green and black patched pants were a little baggy, but suitable.

Cyclonis and Dark Ace turned as he entered. The wrath crystal was in Cyclonis' hands. Stork stared at it unhappily.

"The crystal's power wasn't full when I used it on you, Stork," Cyclonis said, watching Stork's red eyes grow even redder in the glow of the crystal as the merb came to stand before them. "Unless you want to continue in your state, I'm going to do it again to fully cure you of your good side. Do you corporate?"

"Right now my good side is nothing but agony," Stork said, gazing into the crystal's depths. "Please, rid me of it."

"Of course." The red mist rose from the fully charged wrath crystal and enveloped the suffering merb.

His red eyes became even redder than before, redder than blood, and even redder than the bright crystal Cyclonis was holding. And his soul became black.

OH NO! What will happen next?! Oh, the suspense! Review and tell me what you think! And for all you Stork fans, don't get mad at me. Just sit back and leave it all to me. Stork is going to be AWSOME!!! LUV HIM AND REVIEW!!!


	19. One of themcontinued

One of them (continued)

His eyes were a deep maroon and as piercing as the tip of the sharpest blade. His clothes were as black as his hair and it only made his skin and the patches on his pants look even a darker green than they really were. His sharpened teeth were constantly bared in a mocking snarl at anyone who crossed his path. He carried himself with pride and confidence and held his head high, glaring down at the shorter human Talons who were gaping at him as he passed.

Dark Ace paced beside him, amazed at the merb's difference. The second taste of the wrath crystal had done the trick. The tall green creature pacing beside him wasn't Stork the Storm Hawk anymore. He was Stork the Cyclonian demon. His wide shoulders seemed broader and his thin arms appeared stronger. There was an air of confidence around him. Dark Ace couldn't find one clue that hinted that he was once a meek, self-doubting helmsman. Besides his hair. That didn't change at all.

"And here's the lowest hall that leads to the ship hangers," Dark Ace said, pushing open a door and allowing the merb to look inside.

Stork's haunting eyes rove over the hall, memorizing every detail. And then they flicked to the staring Talons scattered around them. A Talon captain, called Captain Runn, pointed his energy staff at the stranger. "What is that thing doing here, sir? Merbs don't belong here!"

He cowered back as Dark Ace snatched the staff from his grasp and shoved it against his chest. "Are you saying that the Master of Cyclonia and I have no idea what we're doing?"

The captain's words came out in a hasty squeak. "No sir! Just wondering sir!"

He flinched as the staff pressed harder into his skin. "You're not here to wonder. You're not here to think either. In fact, I should just cut off your thoughts," his eyes gleamed in evil delight, "permanently!"

Suddenly a four fingered hand held Dark Ace's shoulder. Stork's wide maroon eyes stared the captain down. "Don't kill him. A thinking man is a man who learns. But an intelligent man is a man who sticks his nose into business he doesn't need to know, and then he gets it cut off. Get it?"

Captain Runn nodded furiously, his eyes locked to Stork's. "Yes sir! Think, but no too much. Sorry to intrude, sir. Thank you, sir."

"No, thank you for understanding," Stork said smoothly, tweaking the captain's nose. "You're pretty smart, but don't get too smart for your own good."

The captain tore his gaze away and bowed deeply. "Yes sir."

"Glad to hear it." Stork turned and, without waiting for Dark Ace to lead the way, walked on.

* * *

Aerrow stopped on his way to his quarters. A soft sobbing brought his ear to Piper's closed door. He knocked gently and the sobbing became a gasp, and Piper's voice said hastily, "uh, just a sec!"

There was a rustle of tissues, and Piper opened the door. Her eyes were red rimmed and Aerrow could tell where she had dabbed on makeup to hide her tear marks. The sky knight just stood and stared at her sadly. Piper sniffed and whipped a hand under her eyes. "I'm not fooling you, am I?"

Aerrow took her shoulder. "No."

"I'm sorry," Piper sniffed again and sat on the edge of her bed, flicking half-used tissues into the trash can. "I just can't believe it. I just can't believe he's gone."

"Like I said before," Aerrow said, sitting beside her. "He's not gone."

"Yes he is!" New tears coursed down her cheeks and she fought them back. "Can't you see? Even if there is a hint of Stork left, Cyclonis would do anything to destroy that!"

"Stork is smart. He's a Storm Hawk and he will not fail us," Aerrow said firmly, not fully sure if what he was saying was true. "I have faith in him."

Piper turned her face away, not convinced. Aerrow looked down at his kneecaps, feeling awkward. He suddenly reached out and embraced the girl. At first, she drew away from his arms, but then relaxed and leaned into his hug. It just so happened to be the same instant that Finn decided to pop up in the doorway. He gaped at the hugging couple. Aerrow and Piper glanced at each other, and then recoiled into their own personal bubbles, babbling excuses.

Finn backed off, his hands raised as if to protect himself from an outburst. "Whoa, you know, I can just… uh, you know, leave…"

Piper sniffed and dried her eyes with her sleeve, feeling a bit better. "No, that's alright. We were just… ah…"

Junko joined them, a huge smile on his face and an even bigger pile of blobs in his cupped hands. "Hey look! My Mr. Jiggles is a Mrs.!"

Aerrow stared grimly at the mass in his hands. "Oh…. Great." He eyed Finn. "Who's driving the ship?"

"Radarr," Finn's grin disappeared at their looks. "What?"

A little later, Aerrow ripped off the last of the last piece of duct tape and secured Finn's right hand securely to the control. The sharpshooter glowered. "This is totally unnecessary."

"When you prove that you can take on the responsibility at staying at your post, it'll come off. Piper can feed you."

Piper's giggles ceased. "Wha?"

Finn twisted his head over his shoulder. "Junko? Can I have one of your Jigglers?"

Aerrow turned Finn's head back to the controls. "No, you'll just kill them."

Piper plucked a little orange one from Junko's pile and put it on Finn's shoulder. "No, he won't. I studied one and found that it needs no care at all! It doesn't need to eat, sleep, drink, urinate, or anything!" She cuddled them gently. "All they need is love."

Aerrow ran a finger over Finn's new pet. It arched its back, enjoying his touch. "Cool! In that case, can I have one too?"

"Sure!" Junko held them out and Aerrow selected a little blue Jiggler. Radarr pawed at his leg and Aerrow lowered his hand so that the sky monkey could see it. Radarr sniffed it and growled.

"So, how close are we to Cyclonia?" Finn asked, grinning widely at his Jiggler on his shoulder.

Again, Aerrow put a finger on the side of Finn's head and turned it back. "Not too close yet. With all the delays and the problems we've been having, it's cost us quite a lot of time."

Finn adjusted his grip on the control and turned the ship a little to the left. It was wobbly and not very good, but at least he did it. "Don't sweat it. I think I'm getting the hang of it!"

"It's about time," Finn scowled at Piper's remark. "Oh, yeah, well, how would you like to fly an old, picky, airship? I think I'm the most suitable for the job." He looked over his shoulder at them.

Piper's eyes went wide and her finger shot out. "Mountain peak!"

Finn barely had the time to yank the ship to the side before the Condor smashed into the random peak.

"Now," Piper sniggered. "What was that job you're most suitable for?"

* * *

"Very impressive," Cyclonis hissed. Dark Ace knelt at the base of the stairs. He had told her everything. "The merb is adjusting to the Cyclonia life very nicely. He is truly one of us now."

"If I may say so, master, I think he's getting a little too much at home."

"Oh?" Cyclonis stood and glided down toward him. "And why is that?"

"He's acting a little…" Dark Ace searched for the word.

"Bossy?" Cyclonis raised a slim, black eyebrow.

Her head Talon stood. "No, not exactly bossy. Just a little too… much in command."

"He's used to being an equal with the rest of his team," she shrugged. "He's independent." Cyclonis turned, thinking. Finally she spoke. "Put him in his place. Give him something to do and keep him busy. Also, give him a weapon of his choosing. Send him to the training arena and sharpen his fighting skills. I want him to match you in two days."

Dark Ace started toward the door. "Why such a short time?"

"I want to test his loyalty to me as soon as possible," Cyclonis dismissed the man. "I have something special in mind."

Dark Ace put his fist in his palm and bowed deeply. And then he walked out. Cyclonis strode slowly back to the steps that lead to her throne. She stopped as she reached the wrath crystal's perch and lingered around it, gazing at its cruel beauty. A small smile sprang onto her lips and she went on.

"Soon."

* * *

Sorry, it's a little short. Next chapter will be the start of the _real _action. Please review and love Stork!  


	20. The New Rider

The New Rider

Cyclonis stood like a forbidding raven at the top of her throne room stairs, staring down at the lone figure standing at the base. Dark Ace stood a few feet behind her, also watching the newcomer.

Cyclonis spoke. "It's time to test your loyalty to me. It's time to see if you have hesitations against those who oppose Cyclonia. It's time to see who you really are. You have proven to be quite a fighter from your time against us, but no you're even more so. You have trained two days straight, and I am very impressed with your improvement in such a short time. You are one of us no; pure Cyclonian." Her voice softened. "So, what do you want to do?"

Stork raised his bowed head. Shadows thrown across his face made his maroon eyes seem on fire and the long green blade humming in his hand became brighter. A small, evil grin spread across his dark face. "I want to kill the Storm Hawks."

"Finally! We just passed the halfway point!" Piper cheered, standing over her maps.

"Only halfway? Aw man!" Finn complained, his right hand still duct taped to the control. "We should have been there three days ago!"

Aerrow managed to grab the control and pull the Condor to one side before Finn ran them right through a bunch of cloud krill. "Not with you driving." The sky knight stopped and stared at Finn's shoulder. "Uh, Finn? Didn't you only have one of those?"

"Oh yeah. Mine had babies!" Finn grinned. Eleven Jigglers blinked up at Aerrow innocently.

Junko came onto the bridge. "Uh… mine had more."

A little later, the Storm Hawks stood at Junko's room's doorway, staring at the dozens of little Jigglers rolling around his floor.

Piper knelt and they all rolled up to her, blinking rapidly. "This is incredible! Junko, if you had about fifteen last night and each had approximately ten babies, that means…"

Aerrow had disappeared down the hallway to his own quarters. And now he reappeared, his hands full of Jigglers. "I have more too! They're multiplying like crazy! These are just a few of them!"

Before their eyes, a pink Jiggler split into halves. Another eye popped up to join the other ones, and the two halves became two wholes.

Junko scratched his head. "Oh, that's not good."

"These creatures are acting like cells," Piper said, picking one up. "They just keep dividing!"

"Well then," Aerrow sighed. "We're just going to have to let them go on the next terra before they totally cover the ship and get into the engines."

"Aerrow!" Piper said impatiently, annoyed at the sky knight's ignorance. "These creatures can't just go onto any terra! We found them on a barren, dry, flat piece of useless land, that's why I keep mine under a lamp in a dry tank. It's perfectly happy there."

"Oh, I just put mine on my pillow," Junko said, picking up the biggest Jiggler and cuddling it. "It fell asleep all night and, in the morning, there was more!"

Piper immediately began to gather up the multiplying Jigglers. Aerrow watched her cluelessly. "Piper? What are you doing?"

Piper straightened, her arms loaded high with Jigglers. "They're dividing because of the environment change. The cool, moist air here is causing them to multiply in an attempt to soak it all up. These guys," She held one up. "Are Dripopods; creatures that are collectors of nutrients in the air. When they come to their limit, they split and start over again."

"And you know this how?"

She blushed. "I've read about them." Piper shifted her arms around the gooey pile of Jigglers and slowly made her way out the door to her room. "Aerrow, go get yours and Finn's. I think my tank is big enough to contain all of them until we can return them back to their terra."

"Right," Aerrow rushed to his quarters and gathered up the rest of his twenty little Jigglers, or Dripopods. With his pockets stuffed with them, he then ran onto the bridge and found Finn staring in horror at his shoulder, which was covered in about forty of them. The Dripopods were dividing like crazy, feeding on the nutrient-rich air coming through the open bridge windows.

"Help man! It's like another head!" Finn tottered on one foot, the weight pulling him over. Aerrow grabbed the tablecloth and brushed the multiplying creatures into it.

Piper looked up from her crowded tank as Aerrow lugged the filled tablecloth into her room. She sighed when she saw the size of the pile. "Oh, that's more than I though it would be."

"Well, hurry up and do something!" Aerrow cried, the pile still growing.

Piper threw up her hands. "Like what?!"

Suddenly a wave of heat came over the room. Junko set the giant furnace at the doorway and angled it so that the hot air hit the Dripopods head on. Slowly the multiplying stopped and the innocent creatures gazed up at the humans like a bunch of happy, gooey puppies.

Aerrow wiped sweat from his cheek and watched the droplets shrivel up in the drying air. "Thanks, Junko. That was smart."

The wallop looked surprised. "Really?" He looked pleased and leaned against the doorway. "Yes, it was, wasn't it?" The doorframe gave and he fell.

Finn's voice came from over the intercom. "Uh, guys? We've got a little problem."

Aerrow shook the tablecloth free of Dripopods and stood up. "What kind of problem?"

"A Cyclonian one." Finn's words sent them running to the bridge.

Finn cast a worried glance as they burst in. "There's another problem. We're still low on crystals and I think the engine crystals just decided to quite!"

"What?" Piper threw open the crystal box. The engine crystals were flickering dangerously low on power. "But these are brand new! We replaced them after Cyclonis took Stork! These couldn't possibly…" She caught a glimpse of a light purple crystal on the left front engine out the window. It was encased in cement-like glue.

She dropped the lid of the box. "Leech crystals. Land on that terra, Finn. We can't fight them in the air."

Finn turned the Condor toward the distant terra. Aerrow looked around the ship with the periscope. "Where are the Cyclonians? I don't see them!"

Finn concentrated on the approaching terra. "I don't know! They just circled the ship a few times and then vanished!"

The ship bounced roughly as Finn attempted to land. The furnace set at Piper's doorway toppled over and Dripopods came rolling out. Piper screamed at the sight of the escapees, but Aerrow grabbed her arm and pressed her to the floor, protecting her with his body as the Condor screeched to a halt. And then everything became still.

Piper coughed and raised her head. Aerrow rolled off of her and stood up with the support of a nearby pipe. Radarr climbed up his arm onto his shoulder, squawking pitifully.

Finn gave them a thumbs up from his position hurled over the control, and Junko picked himself up from where he had fallen against the window. Junko blew a bit of dust from his nose horn and grinned. "That could have been worse!"

They all instinctively ducked as a squad of Talons flew right over the Condor. Dark Ace was in the lead. Aerrow swiped out his blades and rushed for the door. The others gathered their weapons and ran after him.

Aerrow leaped from the door and landed on his feet in the dirt, his blades raised and activated. Dark Ace flew lower and glided in circles above the sky knight, smirking down at him. "What's wrong, Aerrow? Troubles with your ride?"

"Not funny!" Aerrow leaped high up, flipped, and gathered energy for his lightning claw. Suddenly a green bolt hit him and he hit the ground hard, rolled a few times, and slid to an abrupt halt against a rock.

"Aerrow!" Piper raised her staff, a blue striker crystal at ready, and ran for the grounded sky knight. A Talon dropped from his vehicle and blocked her path. Junko was surrounded by four and Finn had his foot stuck in a gopher hole.

Aerrow heaved himself up, seeing spots in his vision and his legs felt like they were made of jelly. Dark Ace leaped down and faced him, his red sword pointing at the sky knight's heart. Aerrow wiped a smear of blood from his mouth and matched Dark Ace's stance. They circled.

Piper whacked the Talon on the side of the head and sent him to unconscious-land. She shot another down with her armed staff and then ran to help Aerrow.

A low flying skimmer made her duck. The rider was dressed in black, a hood pulled over his/her face and a long green sword in his/her hand. Piper raised her staff as the rider came back for another round. She blasted and the rider pulled the vehicle around, skillfully avoiding the blasts.

Dark Ace momentarily untangled himself from his fight with Aerrow and waved his red sword at the strange rider. The rider waved his/her green sword back and his/her skimmer turned from its assault on Piper and headed for Aerrow. Aerrow glanced from Dark Ace to the rider. Just as the first blast of green energy sped from the rider's sword, the sky knight dived behind Dark Ace and pushed his enemy into its path. The Talon barely had time to swipe his sword and brush the bolt aside.

The rider sped over their heads and then turned around to come back. Junko, having shaken off the Talons attacking him, had found his cannon from the Condor and loaded it with a powerful frost crystal. The wallop aimed carefully and shot it.

The rider saw the huge frost bolt coming straight at him/her and immediately knew he/she couldn't swerve fast enough to avoid it. Instead, the rider leaped from his/her vehicle and landed hard in the dust alongside Dark Ace. Aerrow jumped to one side to evade the frozen skimmer and faced the two enemies. Piper joined him and Junko did too, his knuckle busters blaring. Finn still had his foot stuck in the gopher hole.

A small wind blew around them. The two Cyclonians stood motionless across from the armed Storm Hawks. The wind grew harder and the rider's hood was blown back.

"Stork?!" Piper chocked.

Stork lifted his green sword and pointed it at Piper, an evil grin splitting his cat-like face and his maroon eyes reflecting his horrified former friends. "Not anymore."

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	21. The test of loyalty

The test of loyalty

* * *

Aerrow lowered his blades. Stork's cold maroon eyes brought tears to his eyes. "Stork…"

"Like I just said!" Stork snarled. "Not anymore!"

Dark Ace stepped forward, smiling at Aerrow's misery. "That's right. He's with us now. He's pure Cyclonian."

"But Stork…" Aerrow said, glancing about at the others standing beside him. Piper had tears streaming down her cheeks, Junko was close to crying, Radarr was whimpering, and Finn had ceased trying to pull his foot from the gopher hole. The sky knight blinked as a sudden raindrop splashed on his face. He looked up and saw that the sky was covered with grey, dreary clouds. It began to rain.

"But Stork…" He repeated. "Think of all we've been through… when we all met, when we found the Condor, what we stand for…"

"It means nothing," Stork said firmly, his tone full of scorn.

"What about our good times?!" Aerrow shouted, his heart breaking. "When you first taught us the Merbian Crazy Face? When we rescued you from the two producers on Terra Neon because they liked your doom poetry? Babysitting Tinky? When you lead us through the Black Gorge? When you took down Repton and his brothers? Flying from the Murk Raiders? When you beat Snipe in the Forbidden City? Anything?"

"Nothing." Stork leaped high, his long green sword raised. The Storm Hawks scattered as the merb brought the blade crashing down into the ground where they stood seconds before. Stork bared his teeth at his dispersing former friends. Piper caught a glimpse of his teeth. They were pointed and long canine fangs curved over the lower molars.

Stork snarled like a wild dog. Piper lowered her staff, not wanting to shoot at her friend, but kept her guard up as the merb prowled back and forth before the scattered team. He definitely appeared taller, his shoulders broader and his arms and legs thicker. He walked like a straight posture too.

"Stork, listen to me," Piper said softly, choking back her grief as she gazed at her altered friend. "You're changed by a wrath crystal. Keep submitting to its power and your appearance and your mind will only become even more so. You'll be lost forever if you let yourself completely surrender to it."

"I am quite aware of what has taken place. And you know what?" Stork twirled his green blade at his side. "I don't care."

Aerrow saw his chance. The sky knight darted behind the preoccupied merb and leaped silently into the air. He had inactivated his daggers and held them by the blade, planning to strike Stork in the head with the hilt. The air whistled as he sped downward toward Stork's back, prepared to strike.

A green blade suddenly flicked almost lazily over the merb's shoulder and clipped Aerrow smartly under the chin. Blackness enveloped the sky knight's mind and he faintly felt himself flop onto the ground. All around him, from the second he fell, a blurry struggle took place, sending dirt flying over him. He heard his name being called as from a great distance, and then it was abruptly cut off.

_Get up! Get up! Get up!_

He lashed out with one hand, his fingers fumbling in the dirt. He pushed himself up onto his knees and blinked dimly in the dust. Someone bumped into him in the dusty confusion and Aerrow instinctively took a hold on the person's wrist. Luckily it was Piper and she helped him up. The dazed sky knight looked at her horrified face. "What?"

For an answer, she put a finger under his chin and withdrew it covered in red.

_That's it._

Aerrow activated his blades and shot two bolts straight up in the air. The fighting ceased and everyone, friends and enemies, looked over at the sky knight.

Aerrow stood panting, blood running down from his chin to stain his uniform. The sky knight deactivated his blades and dropped them. Piper reluctantly backed away from him at his gesture. Aerrow unhooked the armor from his chest and let the metal plate fall to ground. He outspread his arms. "Stork, if you truly are evil, then strike me down. I'm the sky knight of this team, and you are still part of it. You are still my responsibility and I alone am to blame if you are lost."

Stork shifted his green sword in his hand, his maroon eyes darting from Aerrow to Piper, trying to find the catch.

"There's no trick," Aerrow said, stepping closer until he and Stork were barely two meters apart. The sky knight waved his squadron farther away.

"But Aerrow," Piper protested.

Aerrow shot her a sideways glance. "Just do it."

They obeyed. Aerrow turned back to Stork, his arms still outspread. Dark Ace looked like he was about to step in, but then seemed to think better of it.

"Do it," Dark Ace hissed, enjoying the moment.

The merb's haunting eyes flicked over his shoulder at the Talon. The green blade in his hand hummed.

Aerrow studied his former helmsman's face, searching for any hint of fear or regret.

Dark Ace became impatient as the seconds ticked by and Stork didn't do anything. "Hesitation against enemies of Cyclonia, Stork?"

"Don't rush me," Stork growled.

The Talon made as if to brush by him. "Then I'll do it myself."

The merb stopped him. "No."

"Then do it!"

"Don't give me orders!" Stork said angrily.

Dark Ace gawked at him. "What did you just say to me?"

"I. Said. Don't. Give. Me. Orders," the merb said dangerously.

"I am your superior!" Dark Ace declared, pointing his red blade at Stork. "I give the orders. You obey them!"

Stork lost all interest in Aerrow. The merb prowled back and forth before the Talon. "Oh yeah, tough guy? And what are you going to do to make me?"

Dark Ace choked in disbelief. "Ww… wha?" He regained himself and glared at the merb. Rage built up from his damaged ego and he swiped his red sword at him.

His angry roar died. Stork had caught the sword with one hand. The maroon eyes were almost lazy as the merb gripped the blade near the bottom with one hand, grasped the blazing tip with the other, and tied the blade into a knot as if the metal was putty.

The Talon gaped at his ruined sword. Stork bared his fangs. "Now who's superior?"

The other Talons were getting up from their butt kicking from the Storm Hawks. They were silent as they watched their leader nervously drop his destroyed sword and take a step back from the merb. Stork turned and fixed the Talons with a cold stare. "Anyone else want a neck to match the sword?"

They shook their heads. Stork put a hand on his belt. "Good." He suddenly whipped something out and hurled into the Storm Hawks' midst. Whatever it was exploded and they were all enveloped in a thick purple smoke.

Aerrow, coughing heavily and his eyes streaming, tried to rush toward Stork, but then collided with a person who looked like Finn. He hit the dirt and was immediately back up at the sound of a scream. It sounded like Junko. Aerrow turned about aimlessly in the dark smoke. "Junko! Junko!" Someone besides Finn moved at his left. "Piper?"

It was Dark Ace. The Talon fumbled for something in his own belt and brought out a small, clear crystal. He hurled it into the ground and it burst. The purple smoke dissolved into thin air.

Aerrow scrubbed his eyes with his sleeve and looked around. There were no Cyclonians (besides Dark Ace) in sight. Angry at himself for letting them get away, he searched the skies hopelessly. "Where did they go?!"

"Probably activated the cloaking crystal and flew off," Dark Ace grumbled. He bent down to retrieve his ruined sword, but stopped when Finn's foot stepped down on it and the sharpshooter pointed a loaded arrow in his face.

Darn it!" Aerrow kicked his chest plating. Piper placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder and picked up the armor from the ground. She opened her mouth, but nothing came out. She had nothing to say.

"Say…" They all turned to look at Finn. The sharpshooter scratched his head. "Where's Junko?"

The terra shook at Aerrow outraged yell. "They took Junko!!!"

* * *

"Back already?" Cyclonis leaned forward in her throne, but her smirk faded when a lone figure walked to the base of the stairs. She bolted upright. "Where's Dark Ace?"

Stork stared straight ahead, maroon eyes hooded. "Fell. The sky knight got him in the back while the girl distracted him. I don't know if that killed him, but the fall certainly would."

His eyes rose to study the master's almost grief stricken face. "Don't even bother to look for the body. It probably burned up in the wastelands. The vehicle too."

Cyclonis' purple lips moved a little, and then she sat down. Her mouth was fixed in a devastated frown. For a long moment she was silent, and when she spoke, it was very soft and controlled. "Get Ravess and Snipe up here. We need a new plan to kill the Storm Hawks. I want them all dead and the sky knight's head on my throne. Go."

Stork bowed and walked out. A small smile sprang on his lips. Everything was a smooth sail from there.

* * *

I've noticed that less people are reviewing and reading my part 2 than my part 1. Is it because it's too long? Boring? Stupid? Pleeze make me feel better and just review, even if it's just to say hi or something. : p 


	22. Persuasion

Persuasion

Stork stepped into the Talon cafeteria. Squadrons D through J were crammed inside, either waiting for their slop in line or sitting shoulder to shoulder at the stained tables. The merb pressed himself against the wall as a group of dreary looking Talons passed by with their trays of brownish goop, not seeing or thinking about what they were doing. They were robots, nothing more than just a bunch of mindless beings whose thinking was overcome by doing order after order and doing chore after chore. Under his innocent face, Stork smiled. He was about to reprogram them.

Captain Runn, the Talon who had accidentally challenged Dark Ace's authority a few days earlier (chapter 18), stood up when he saw Stork enter. Stepping out from his seat, the young captain hesitantly approached the merb. Stork's roving eyes settled on him, immediately recognizing him.

All talking ceased as the Talons spotted the stranger in their presence. One stood up, his eyes wide and put a hand on Runn's shoulder. "Runn! Don't you know who that is?" He whispered hoarsely. "He's rumored to have killed the Dark Ace!"

Runn was trembling with terror, but he brushed his hand off his shoulder and stepped closer. Stork's maroon eyes stared right into him, piercing him right through. Runn stood shaking before the merb and suddenly knelt. Stork raised his head in surprise, looking down at the young Talon with one curious eye.

"Th… thank you for saving my life. Dark Ace would have surely killed me," he said, and then stiffened when Stork patted his head and passed by him.

"I have something to say," the merb said smoothly.

They were silent. They weren't sure if the rumors were true, but none of them had the guts to find out how tough this newcomer really was. Stork walked up to the nearest table and looked down at the Talon sitting on the end. The Talon was pitifully young. He had his fork loaded with the brown goop excuse for lunch halfway to his mouth.

Stork took the fork from his hand and wrinkled his nose at the stuff on the end of it. "How's lunch?"

"Uh…"

Stork plopped the stuff back on his plate and paced down the row of tables. "Are any of you happy here?"

No one said anything. No one moved. Stork shrugged. "Then why stay?"

"Because…" Runn said, standing up and rubbing the back of his neck shyly. "Because we can't?"

"Who's stopping you?" Stork turned to face him.

"Uh…"

"Cyclonis? Dark Ace? Ravess? Snipe? Maybe even Repton?" Stork searched their blank faces. "You're scared of them."

Still no responses. Stork continued walking. "I heard a little rumor that you guys are trained, drilled, and constantly on the move under Cyclonis' name." He stopped and looked down at their plates. "Nice reward, eh?"

"No," a Talon, bolder than his companions, said from behind him at the opposite table. "But Cyclonis promised each of her loyal subjects untold riches, glory, and fame."

Murmurs of agreement rippled through the Talons.

"Oh?" Stork chuckled. "And how's that going for you?"

The murmurs stopped. The bold Talon sounded unnerved. "What do you mean?"

"I'm talking about the promises. Promises?" Stork spat. "More like lies that were just meant to get you on her side. Riches? You get soiled uniforms and rusty old skimmers. Glory? More like a lousy reputation. Fame? Ha!"

The bold Talon stood. "What are you saying against Cyclonis?! Are you a traitor?!"

"Are you an idiot?" Stork growled. The bold Talon sat at his glare. Stork laughed and looked around him. "You guys really don't see it, do you?"

They looked at each other, their faces expressionless. Stork laughed again. "Cyclonis has tried again and again to get rid of a single little squadron of misfit kids, and has failed again and again!"

"But the Storm Hawks are nothing. Anyways, Cyclonis has control of many powerful terras that she personally took over!" The bold Talon declared.

Stork shook his head at his ignorance. "Nothing? The Storm Hawks are the ones who are always out there liberating terra after terra because Cyclonis has failed to kill them! I should know, I was one of them."

"Then why should we trust you?"

Stork shrugged. "You accepted Dark Ace, right? He was once the old Storm Hawks' sky knight's copilot."

"Yeah… but… you're just a child…" He shut his mouth.

Stork turned away from the bold Talon and faced the entire cafeteria, his voice strong and powerful. "You were all fools to believe her in the first place! Why couldn't anyone see though her lies?" The Talons looked on in amazement at the stranger. "Because she's smart enough to bluff, but unfortunately is not smart enough to act. Cyclonis has failed to expand her whole 'Cyclonia' successfully, but you keep following her like a bunch of idiots. So, it looks like I'm the only one here that sees that. And now I'm saying…" Stork leaped up on a table. "Down with Cyclonis!"

A gasp rose up. The bold Talon opened his big mouth again and stood up, outraged. "How dare you!"

"Yes, I am daring. But if you guys want to keep living like…" Stork scooped up a handful of brown goop and held it up for all to see. Slimy juices dripped from the glop and little bits flopped from his hand to splatter on the floor. "This, then you can do that. But I'm telling you, I'm not blinded by her lies like all you dimwits are. I'm smart, smarter than Dark Ace, smarter than you, smarter than Cyclonis." Stork dropped the glop and stepped forward, his maroon eyes burning.

The bold Talon looked down at his lunch. There was a dead fly in it. He stared at it, and then scrambled onto the table. "I'm with you." He was sweating with nervousness. "I… I can't believe I'm actually doing this…"

Runn joined him. "What do you want us to do, sir?"

"Follow me," Stork said, and kicked a tray off the table. The brown goop splattered on the floor. The merb flicked another off. "I will lead you right, not like Cyclonis is doing." Another tray was booted aside. "I don't lie, and I don't promise. This isn't the whole 'I am the leader, so follow my orders' thing. This is all about team work. I need you as much as you need me. There's no riches, no fame, no glory at the end of rainbow. There's success for all of you to do with what you please. It's your life, and your only one. Do you really want to waste it?"

Runn leaped up alongside Stork, shouting, "Down with Cyclonis! Down with Cyclonis!"

Stork held up his hand before the chant became too loud. "You need to keep this little occurrence quiet. Spread it among the others, but do it without alerting the entire terra. Any slip and we'll have Cyclonis killing us all."

The Talons nodded cheerfully and all hurried to get out of the cafeteria, eager to tell their comrades. They were very different than the Talons they were moments before. They had hope. Stork felt the cool, full feeling of success rest on his mind. His serpent-like tail switched contently around his heels.

* * *

Aerrow beheld a strange sight as he walked onto the bridge from repairing the engine room. Finn ripped off the last of the duct tape and secured Dark Ace's heel firmly to the wall. He noticed Aerrow. "Oh, hey! You like?"

Aerrow rushed up to the scene, not knowing whether to laugh or scold. Dark Ace was duct taped about two feet up the wall, taped from his neck to his toes. Piper stood off to one side, shaking her head. Aerrow couldn't help his laughter. "What happened here?"

Finn leaned back, surveying his and Radarr's work. "Just a little something that'll keep the Dark Ace from snooping around. And, to keep him company…" Finn scooped up one of the many roaming Dripopods from the bridge floor and set it on Dark Ace's shoulder. "Don't worry, it's red. It matches your eyes."

The Dripopod cuddled against the Talon's neck. "Augh! Get it off! Get it off!" Dark Ace roared, straining against the duct tape.

"You're scared off it?" Finn teased his enemy. "Just think of it as a giant booger with eyes."

Dark Ace squeezed his eyes shut. "I could have lived without that description."

Piper shifted toward Aerrow. "I tried to stop them from doing it, but not that much."

Aerrow remembered what he had come onto the bridge for. "I managed to fix the blown pipes in the engine room. It's not as good as Junko's repairs, but it'll have to do."

Finn took his position at the control and pulled the Condor out of hover. Piper spread her map on the table, giving Finn the coordinates.

"Alright, team," Aerrow hesitated when he received glances. "Aright then, what's left of our team, we have double the reason to get to Cyclonia now. To retrieve Stork and Junko. I just hope they won't do to Junko what they did to Stork."

Piper smiled sadly at Aerrow. "Hope is pretty much the only thing we have."

"No," Finn said mockingly. "We have each other."

Aerrow ignored him. "Then hope will just have to do. I let you guys down too many times on Terra Snowgra. We've been through too much and I'm not going to let us get separated now. We're going to kick Cyclonis' butt if it takes everything we have."

All while this was happening, Dark Ace was silent. They were loyal, something he never saw among the Talons in Cyclonia. The Talons did what he told them, but in more of a robot way instead of a loyal way. These people actually thought for themselves. It reminded him of his days in the first Storm Hawks… before he betrayed them.

"Why do you care?" Dark Ace said. They looked up at him. "Just get new members or quit. The other two are gone. Big deal."

"No, see, that's where you're wrong," Aerrow hissed. Dark Ace was taken aback at the sincerity in his voice. "Those guys aren't just members. They're our friends, family. We aren't like you."

Dark Ace sniffed at the seemingly ridiculous idea and receded to just glaring at the back of Aerrow's head. But, back in his mind, not matter how disgusted he felt that he did, he admired the dedication they displayed.

The Dripopod on his shoulder rubbed against his cheek, purring and drenching his skin with pink slime. Dark Ace glowered. _This stinks._

* * *

Junko knelt before the stairs, trembling within but keeping a brave face on. Cyclonis circled around him, the wrath crystal in her hands. The wallop's eyes flicked up at the crystal whenever she passed.

"You know what this is," Cyclonis said, watching her prisoner amusingly. "You're not so stupid for a wallop. And no, I'm not going to use it on you."

Junko's shoulders slumped with relief, and then stiffened. Cyclonis chuckled. "Yet."

"Whatever you want from me, I will not cooperate and you can just forget about a birthday present! I don't buy presents for evil people!" Junko burst out.

Cyclonis chuckled. "I'm not always evil…"

"Or Christmas!"

Cyclonis continued. "I figured out what I did wrong with the merb." She raised the wrath crystal and the cavern was lit with red. "The wrath crystal has a much easier time altering someone's mind when the victim is willing. It's not for sure if it's true until it's tested." She turned and put a slim finger on Junko's nose tip. "That's why I wanted you. You're a mild one, right? Surely you don't want to fight what you can't."

Junko stared stubbornly at the ground. Cyclonis shrugged. "Take your time to think about it. I'm in no hurry." She clapped and four Talons entered. "Take the wallop to one of the best rooms we have. Give him a fine dinner and make sure that there's enough until he's full. Take care to his every need and make certain he's not neglected." She winked at the wallop as he was dragged away. "Just tell me when you're ready to talk again. Don't be shy!"

That taken care of, she turned and walked up the stairs to her throne. She sat comfortably in her chair, the wrath crystal in her lap. Cyclonis was the absolute ruler of Cyclonia, the soon to be ruler of the entire Atmos.

_Or will she?_

* * *

Thanks for all the reviews! Yes, I feel much better about myself. Keep it up! And as for my other story, the one I dream of publishing, I'm on the third chapter of what I hope is my final draft. Yay! does a little happy dance 


	23. Plans

Plans

Word spread quickly among the Talons. Those who were an audience to Stork's speech excitedly told their companions who, though doubtful at first, warmed up to the idea as they repeated his words. It was silent, quick, and done in their quarters where no one could overhear their rebellion. Stork was undoubtedly the ringleader. No one challenged his authority. Cyclonis was looking worse and worse as a leader as the day went on. By sunset, there was not a Talon in Cyclonia who didn't pledge himself to Stork.

Ravess and Snipe were walking to Cyclonis' throne room at her request. They turned a corner, and never arrived. Stork's next victims were Repton and his brothers. One minute they were seen riding in from Bogaton, and then they disappeared. Other important leaders and generals vanished and joined the others duct taped in a hidden closet.

It took only an hour before Cyclonis suspected that something funny was going on. At first she called and demanded for her generals and head Talons, but none came. Then she decided to take matters into her own hands.

Talons almost seemed to glare at her as she walked through the many halls of her domain. Cyclonis opened door after door, searching inside and slamming them forcefully when she did not find anyone she was looking for.

A young Talon did not get out of her way fast enough and she snatched him by his throat. His eyes rolled wildly in terror and he strained against her grip. She dragged him closer and shook him. "Where are Snipe and Ravess? Where's Repton?"

"I… Don't…" He gurgled, her fingernails cutting off his windpipe.

"Idiot!" Cyclonis hurled the choking Talon from her and turned on the surrounding crowds of spectators. "Is there _anyone _here with any high rank?!"

Stork coolly stepped from the crowd, his maroon eyes calm. "I heard that they all flew off. Many of us saw them."

The Talons nodded. Cyclonis narrowed her violet eyes at him. "Left? Why?" Her voice was low and cautious.

Stork shrugged. "I don't know. They just… left. They took nothing with them but their skimmers and the clothes on their backs."

Cyclonis was not convinced. "Where did they go?"

"Toward the west," Stork said, pointing the way.

"Why?" Cyclonis tested him.

Stork sniffed. "Like I know. I'm not a mind reader."

"West…" Cyclonis looked though the nearest window. The sun was setting in the west, barely visible through Cyclonia's storms. "West from here is… Bogaton… Terra Ray… Terra Neon… the expanse… Atmosia…" She looked at Stork from the corner of her eye. "… unless, of course, you're lying to me."

"What good would I possibly have from doing that? Anyways," Stork shrugged, matching Cyclonis' cold stare with his own. "How could you know if I'm lying or not? You're precious servants aren't here, now aren't they?"

"Hmm, true." Cyclonis turned. But before she went, she gave Stork one last glance and narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "I'll be watching you, merb." And then she was gone.

Stork waited patiently until she was far away before the usual cold, heartless smile came back on his changing face. His tail swept excitedly from side to side. "Don't be alarmed, she won't find us out. She can't be everywhere. She just said that to frighten you."

The young Captain Runn looked up with admiring eyes at his idol. "Now what do we do?"

His fangs glistened. "Tomorrow…"

_"…We strike!"_

* * *

"I'm sorry, but I can't come, Aerrow," Starling said disappointingly over the radio. "I'm on the opposite side of Atmos and I'm in the middle of a fight between two terras over sky fishing rights. Isn't there anyone else nearby to help you?"

"No," Aerrow sighed. "There's no one."

"No other sky knight squadrons?"

"Nope."

"Well, I don't know what you want with Cyclonia, but I'd advice you to stay clear of the place. There have been reports of Dark Ace missing and a new villain leading sky attacks. And they've all been successful at completely disabling entire air ships!"

"That would be, uh…" Aerrow searched the right words. "Stork."

"YOUR PILOT?!" Everyone working on the bridge flinched at Starling's scream. "WHAT DID YOU DO TO HM?!?"

"We didn't do anything to him!" Aerrow said irritably. "Cyclonis used this wrath crystal thingy on him and now he's, like, evil!"

Starling was silent. "Wrath crystal, you say?"

"Yeah."

"Wrath crystal… you mean the wrath crystal as in the legendary mix between the red storm crystal and the morphing crystal?"

"Is there any other kind?" Aerrow said into the radio sadly. "Do you know anything about it? Like, how to destroy it?"

"I know a bit about it from history, but not much," Starling sighed. "I have no idea how to destroy one. I don't think you can just smash it like a normal crystal."

"Oh," Aerrow's hope sank. "Thanks for trying anyway."

"I'm sorry, Aerrow," Starling's voice was full of regret. "I'll try to reach you after these two terras settle their differences. In the meantime, please just stay away from Cyclonia. With only four of you, it would lead to disaster!"

"Actually, there are five on this ship," Aerrow said, glancing at Dark Ace still duct taped to the wall. The Talon glared at him.

"Five? That's a little better, but still. It could easily go to Cyclonis' favor if you make one mistake. You were just plain lucky in your first infiltration. Now, promise me that you won't do it."

Aerrow could see the wisdom in her words. "Right. Thanks."

"Good. Starling out." The radio clicked off.

Finn looked over at Aerrow. "Now where to?"

"Keep going."

Piper leaned against the table, gaping in disbelief at the sky knight. "You lied!"

"No, I was crossing my fingers," Aerrow shrugged, holding up his crossed fingers from behind his back.

"Aerrow! You just _lied _to Starling!"

"Well, I can't have her worrying about us, now can I?" Aerrow brushed past her, stepping carefully on the Dripopod covered floor.

"Well… yeah… but still!" Piper started after him. "Where are you going?"

Aerrow, massaging his temples, opened the door to his quarters and walked in. "I need to be alone. I need to think."

Piper stamped her foot in frustration as his door shut. Fin glanced over his shoulder at her from the controls. "He's thinking? Isn't that what you're supposed to be doing?"

He ducked and the wrench she hurled at him hit the window and clattered to the floor. Piper's tired, blood shot eyes narrowed. "Don't you have a ship to fly, _Finn?_"

Finn gawked at her and slowly turned back to the window. "I think someone needs a nap," he said to Radarr. Radarr took his eyes from the periscope just long enough to look at Piper and nod.

* * *

It was twelve-thirty. Cyclonia's skies were black and grey with clouds, the occasional red flash lighting up the eerie terra. No star's light could penetrate the clouds and the new moon made the night even darker. The jagged spikes jutted up from the moat of fog like teeth, the fog swirled restlessly and the air was warm and humid. The clouds were collecting at the peek of the Cyclonian castle. A storm was gathering.

Stork stood watching the forming storm from a window in one of the highest rooms of the castle. The merb's maroon eyes reflected the lightning flashes. His appearance had changed dramatically in the short time that he gathered the Talon's loyalty. His face was longer, leaner, his fangs sharper and his neck longer and bent gracefully. He stood bolt straight and his legs were curved, his feet no longer like hands but more like a lizard's. His long serpent tail curled around his heel, its pointed tip twitching excitedly.

Every Talon in Cyclonia was waiting for his signal. He was in power- complete, total, utter power. He liked the feeling. No longer was he the scrawny, meek helmsman of a mismatched unofficial sky knight squadron aboard an old, rundown airship. He was in power, a master. The soon to be master of Cyclonia.

His ear twitched as the first rumble of thunder emitted from the rotating clouds. It was time. He turned his head to the waiting Talon at the doorway. "Captain."

Captain Runn saluted. "Yes sir."

"You may give the word," Stork said smoothly.

Again the young man saluted and took off down the hall. Soon every Talon would be informed of the time. Soon he would stand over Cyclonis. Soon he would be the master. Soon he would destroy the Storm Hawks, the opposing terras, every person who rebelled against him. Soon everyone would know that he, a merb, was smarter, stronger, and better than Cyclonis herself. Soon he would be the most known person in Atmos. Soon. Soon. Soon.

_Soon._

The storm began to laugh.

* * *

u guys are going to like the next chapter. should be up in a few days. school and all could hold me back. eh. stupid school. oh yeah, do u guys think i should do a part 3? i don't think so. im already making this too long. mmmmmmmmmmmmm 


	24. Master Menaphis

Master Menaphis

Here it is! Finally! The chapter you all have been waiting for… the time that I have been building up for all of part 2!!! Drum roll please. Drumdrumdrumdrumdrumdrum… enjoy and review or I'll send evil Stork after u. : P

* * *

Cyclonis couldn't see. Her eyes were sealed almost shut with dried blood running down her face from the blow on her head. She lay on the ground, the cold, hard stone icy hot against her skin as she attempted to raise her head to get a look at her sudden attackers.

She had been sitting on her throne, two Talons on either side of her as she made a threatening speech, warning them not to even think of betraying her. All her Talons were gathered in her throne room to listen and tremble before her might. She was just about to threaten them with gruesome deaths when suddenly she was struck on the head with something heavy and Cyclonis only dimly felt herself tumble down the stairs.

Excited voices filled the cavern and her unfocused eyes could make out many feet crowding around her. She put out a hand and slowly, unsteadily, pushed herself into an upright position. Talons dimly surrounded her, but the thing she couldn't figure out was why they weren't rushing to help her.

Rage built up. Cyclonis absorbed the pain she felt and stood up. Her violet eyes were burning and her hair rose. Purple mist swirled around her feet as she said in a low, dangerous voice, "Who did that."

"I did." The Talons parted to let Stork through. The merb curved his long neck gracefully, stretching his long, lean body to maximum and his tail floated inches from the floor. The beginnings of horns sprouted between his ears. His black hair threw shadows across his face, his maroon eyes something out of the Atmos.

"You!" Cyclonis' voice grew to a shriek. "How dare you! Do you have _any _idea who you are dealing with?!"

Stork inspected his black claws. "Someone who prefers to let her promises become lies? Someone who leaves the dirty work to men who follow your orders with no question only to be repaid with inedible food and inhuman treatment? Is that your idea of a promise of riches, fame, and glory?"

"They get what I give them," Cyclonis' pupils shrank to pinpoints.

Stork laughed mockingly. "Nothing?"

Cyclonis pointed her sharp nail in outrage at him. "Kill him!"

No a soul moved. Cyclonis lowered her hand and glared at the silent Talons all around her. "What is wrong with you idiots?! I gave you an order!"

To her complete shock, a Talon sniggered in her face. "What if we don't feel like it, eh? What are you going to do?"

Another joined him. "Send the Dark Ace's remains after us?"

The cavern rocked with laughter at Cyclonis' stunned expression. She shook with anger. Red balls of pure power appeared at her palms. "I'll deal with all you later! You'll sorely regret the day you scum where born! As for you!" Cyclonis whirled and shot the energy balls at Stork.

The side of his mouth jerked up and he raised the wrath crystal at chest level. The energy balls stopped millimeters from crashing into him and were sucked into the maroon crystal's depths. Cyclonis hissed. "Why you!"

Stork tossed the crystal up and down. "Say, mind if I borrow this? It sure seems like a waste just letting it sit there and gather dust like your self-image."

Cyclonis' staff came flying from its perch by her throne to her outstretched hand, but she was knocked flat from behind and the loaded staff hit the opposite wall, activating and blowing itself up. The former master of Cyclonia lay on the floor at the feet of Stork. Multiple feet stepped on her, pressing her firmly to the stone.

She couldn't believe it. All the things she thought were impossible had come true. She was beaten, defeated. She was ruined. All her dreams of a Cyclonia empire were dashed. All because of one little merb she used as a test subject.

"Now… about this little thing between us," Stork said gently, crouching to bend his elegant head to her level. "See, I can't exactly have you… _around_ anymore. This is a no dork zone. So I figured a little solution to our problem…"

Cyclonis felt a strange sensation. Dragging her chin across the filthy stone to look up, she saw a purplish haze swirling up into the air. From the hand flopped in front of her, she saw her power being sucked from her body. The wrath crystal glowed brightly from above her and Stork laughed and the Talons cheered as he used it to channel Cyclonis' great power into himself.

Soon only a few strands of energy were painfully extracted from her mind and then it was gone. All gone. Cyclonis was left completely helpless. She lay like a dead fish on the stone under the many grating heels of scorning former servants.

_How could this be happening?! This must be a dream!!_

"Now… about getting rid of you…"

Cyclonis felt something new come to her. Her heart beat fast, her breath came in gasps, and her hands felt clammy. What was it?

Fear.

* * *

The Condor was groaning as it sat on the small, rocky terra in the middle of nowhere. It was driven too far. The engine crystals lay wasted and the engines coughed from abuse. The Storm Hawks stood around it. They were going no farther.

Finn whipped his forehead with sleeve as he leaped down from inside the right engine. "Wow, is it hot in there!"

"So? How does it look?" Piper asked, pressing a sheet of metal to the half melted engine's side while Aerrow and Radarr bolted it.

"Not good. I'm not nearly as good as Stork or Junko, but even I can tell it's unflyable." Finn wearily sat himself by Dark Ace in the sand and helped himself to a canteen of lipid water. Dark Ace was bound by lengths of rope from his heels to his neck. Finn looked over at his glowering enemy. "Man, that Jiggler really took a liking to you!"

The little red Dripopod cuddled affectionately against Dark Ace's cheek, much to the Talon's dismay. The many others of its kind had escaped from the ship and were rolling around joyfully, soaking up the sun's hot rays and playing on the Terra's flat, barren landscape.

Piper looked around at the ones snuggled around her feet. "This terra is almost like their native one. See? They've stopped multiplying!"

Finn fanned himself. "It's about time!"'

"It's also about time for you to get off of your butt and get back to repairing the ship, Finn!" Piper said, putting up another metal plate for repairing. "And don't drink too much water. We don't have much left."

Finn snorted. "What are you talking about? We have plenty!" He tipped the canteen back and swallowed the last few drops.

"That was all of it," Piper growled.

Finn looked at the empty bottle. "Oh. Oops."

A drone of skimmers quieted farther talking. They listened and then Aerrow's hand shot out. "There."

Piper fumbled for her tool box and withdrew a large cloaking crystal. She pressed it against the Condor. The giant airship shimmered, and then disappeared. Aerrow waved them to a line of bushes. They wordlessly followed him, Finn dragging Dark Ace behind him. The remaining members of the Storm Hawks squadron knelt behind the bushes to see the scene before them.

Two Talons dismounted from their skimmers. Only, they weren't dressed like Talons. Their uniforms were black jackets over dark green and blue tunics. Aerrow recognized them from the Dark Ace's usual squadron.

"This terra is such a dump," the shorter man said, kicking a few sandy stones from around his vehicle. "Someone should just bomb it and get it out of the way."

"At least now it has a purpose!" The taller man laughed, holding up a skinny chicken by its feet. The chicken made a mournful noise and flapped its stubby wings weakly.

The taller man took a few steps toward the bushes and looked around at the barren landscape. "Wow, 'cept for a few shrubs, this place really is useless!" He tossed the chicken to the ground and stood over it. "This is your home now. Here you can live, die, or end up on someone's dinner plate for all I care."

The chicken got up and stared up at the Talon fearfully. The two men laughed at its helplessness. They got onto their skimmers and drove off, shouting behind them, "Goodbye and good riddance, you witch! Master Menaphis is in charge now!"

The chicken coughed and stumbled in the dust that the skimmers threw up with their wheels. After they were gone, it stood unsteadily and gazed to where they had disappeared into the sky.

Aerrow got up. "Pff. It's a chicken!"

The chicken whirled and stared with wide, terrified eyes at the sky knight. Finn rubbed his hands gleefully. "Great! We won't starve!"

The chicken squawked and took off, flapping its wings pitifully. Finn whipped out a knife and fork out of seemingly nowhere and dashed after it. Piper put out a hand too late to stop him and ran after him. Aerrow, taking a moment to glance down at Dark Ace, followed her. Dark Ace shouted something from behind the length of duct tape over his mouth, and then just sat there dejectedly.

Finn scooped up the screaming chicken and held it up by its legs triumphantly to the others. "Friends and family, dinner is going to be served!"

"Finn! Put that down! The Talons marooned it on this terra for a reason!" Piper reached out to take the chicken from him, but Finn drew it against his chest. She tapped her foot and scowled severely. "Finn."

Finn looked down sadly at his dinner and sadly handed it over. Piper took it and bent down to let it go, but then suddenly straightened, staring into its eyes. Finn looked hopeful. "You changed your mind?"

"No. Wait!" Piper turned the terrified chicken right side up and gazed into its eyes. "Master… Cyclonis?"

"WHAT?!" cried both Aerrow and Finn.

"Mmmmmmmff!" came Dark Ace's muffled scream in the background.

Piper held her free hand out to Aerrow. "Aerrow, give me one of your striker crystals!"

Aerrow popped a crystal from his blades and tossed it to her. The second the crystal touched her palm, the chicken shimmered and suddenly grew large. Piper dropped it to the ground. There was a blinding flash of purple light, a sizzle, and Master Cyclonis sat on the ground before them.

"Cyclonis! It is you!" Aerrow activated his blade and Piper hurriedly backed away, prepared for an attack. It didn't come. Cyclonis raised her drooping head and gazed up at the remnants of the Storm Hawks, the evil gleam in her eyes gone and her skin ashen.

Aerrow slowly lowered his blade. "Whoa. What happened to you?"

"Yeah. You _are _Master Cyclonis, right?" Finn put down his kitchen knife.

"Just… Cyclonis now…" She was trembling. "Menaphis is in power now."

"Mena-who?" Finn asked, but Cyclonis keeled forward and was still. In the background, Dark Ace made another muffled yell.

Aerrow deactivated his blade and looked back at his friends. Menaphis?

Finn gestured at the fainted former leader of Cyclonia with his knife. "What do we do with her?"

"Um…" Aerrow looked over at Piper. Piper was staring down at Cyclonis. She noticed Aerrow's stare and shrugged. "I guess we should take her in."

"Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!" Finn leaped between Aerrow and Cyclonis. "Have you two lost your minds?! That's our most deadly enemy lying right there! You just want to let her into our home?!"

Piper held up the striker crystal. "Her appearance was changed by a morphing crystal, possibly the wrath crystal's side. And, by the look of her, she's been stripped of her powers."

"C'mon people!" Finn slapped his forehead. "This isn't just some lost puppy! Remember the last time we took in something seemingly harmless?" He scooped up a handful of Dripopods and shoved them in Aerrow's face. "Big problem!"

Aerrow put a finger on Finn's handful of wiggling, happy blobs and pushed it out of his face. "Yes, but this is a person, not a bunch of globs of I-don't-know-what."

"What's the difference?!" Finn screamed, almost hysterical. He started hyperventilating.

"Finn!" Aerrow slapped him on the back. "Breath!"

Finn gasped for breath and suddenly calmed down. "What I'm saying is that if you take that evil mastermind on our ship…" He took a deep breath and screamed in Aerrow's face, "YOU'RE NUTS!"

Aerrow flinched, droplets of saliva dribbling down his face. "Well, if it'll make you feel better, we'll tie her up."

Finn held up his hands. "Fine. You crazy people do what you want. If you need me, I'll be in my room writing my will." He strode back the ship, his head hanging and his arms limp at his sides.

Dark Ace again yelled something behind the duct tape over his mouth, his eyes fixed on Cyclonis' still form. Aerrow picked her up carefully and Piper hooked Dark Ace by his collar. Together they slowly walked back to the Condor.

The sun began to rise from the eastern horizon, lighting the sky in a watercolor array of reds, oranges, and purples. But, on the other side toward the terra that was once known as Cyclonia, was as black as the center of the wrath crystal.

* * *

Okay, according to ur reviews, I guess I will do a part 3. But, in order for it to be good, I'll need reviews. Lots of them! Lots of reviews! Whahahahahaha! (hugs knees and rocks back and forth, laughing maniacally.) 


	25. The bad good, the good bad

The bad good, and the good bad

* * *

For those of you who asked. I am obsessed with Egyptian stuff. The hieroglyphic for a stork is called a menaphis. I have no idea if I spelt it right, but that's how it's pronounced.

* * *

_Where am I? What happened? Why can't I move? What time is it? How did I get here?_

Cyclonis' eyelids fluttered and she stared half-focused at the plain, white ceiling above her. _What is this strange place?_

Her eyes blinked and slowly moved to her right. There, sitting on a stool beside her, was Piper. She had her back turned to her and was watching something across the room.

Cyclonis clenched her fists, expecting to feel rage and the urge to strike the Storm Hawk. But she felt nothing. Cyclonis didn't feel a hint of hostility. In fact, she actually felt… _relieved _to see her.

_What's going on? Why do I feel so weird? _Cyclonis strained to sit up but only managed to lift her head a few inches. Her mind slightly cleared and she saw that her body from the neck down was firmly wrapped in ropes. The ropes wrapped around her and around the mattress, binding her tightly to the bed.

Piper, seeing Cyclonis' movement out of the corner of her eye, turned. "Hey guys! She's awake!"

"'bout time!" Aerrow grunted. "How does he look now?"

Piper turned back to staring across the room and stroked her chin. "Still crooked. Turn him a bit to the left."

Finn and Aerrow put their shoulders against Dark Ace and swiveled him to the left. While they held him in place, Radarr quickly tore off lengths of duct tape and place it on his arms and legs.

Aerrow straightened Dark Ace's foot so that it tipped to the side. "There. How about now?"

"Hmm…" Piper mused, cocking her head. Radarr joined her. "His right leg isn't far away enough."

They groaned. Dark Ace's gaze was fixed on Cyclonis. Seeing her gawking up at him in disbelief, he raised his index finger and made a muffled 'hello' from behind the duct tape over his mouth.

"What..?" Cyclonis looked madly around the room they were in. and the she remembered from the day she came into the Storm Hawks' ship as Lark. This was Piper's room.

"How do you feel?" Piper said softly, placing a hand on her forehead. "You aren't feverish anymore. That's good."

"Do you feel like murdering us in our sleep?" Finn said grimly, ripping Dark Ace's leg from the wall and retaping it a little farther away from the other. "Any evil thoughts about taking over Atmos?"

Cyclonis stared fearfully at them, and the gazed up at Piper's face. "No," She said quietly.

Finn stopped and twisted his head over his shoulder to see her. "Really?"

Cyclonis shrank back into the large pillow supporting her head. "What time is it?"

Piper picked up a cup that was placed at the bedside. "Morning. What happened? Do you remember?" Piper asked, holding the cup of water to Cyclonis' lips.

Cyclonis' distrust was stronger than her thirst. She turned away from the offered cup and was silent for a moment. And then she began,

"I used the wrath crystal on your pilot because I needed an easy test subject for the wrath crystal's first victim. I thought that he would be the best since I saw him as meek, weak, and that he was constantly left alone on the ship. So I chose him."

Cyclonis sighed and shut her eyes. "He proved much, much stronger than I gave him credit for. He wasn't fully consumed. Even a little should have completely taken over his mind, but it barely made a dent. He was laden with guilt and he was suffering inside so bad that I had to do something in order to keep him alive. So I, uh… used the wrath crystal on him a second time…"

"Is that bad?" Finn said, clueless as ever.

"You. What?" Piper said in a low tone.

"I couldn't think of anything else to do with him! I didn't know how to reverse the process, so I did it. I was so eager to have success, I…" She sighed heavily.

"And?" Piper pressed her.

"I don't really know how he did it. He somehow turned all of my Talons against me behind my back. He got rid of all my generals. Snipe, Ravess, and Repton disappeared. And then, just last night, he… defeated me and sucked out all of my power," Cyclonis said weakly. She looked with relief at Dark Ace. "He told me you were dead."

"Wait! Wait!" Finn waved his arms as if cutting off an orchestra. "So… Stork is now a totally evil mastermind and he's now going to take over Atmos?"

"He calls himself Menaphis now."

"Mena-who?"

"Menaphis," Cyclonis opened her eyes.

"So Stork, _our _Stork is now the evil master of Cyclonia?" Finn couldn't help but laugh.

"He's calling it Menaphisiem now. Every single one of my Talons are loyal to him. When he was attacking me, not one stepped forward to help me," Cyclonis' voice was small and fearful. "It was as if they were happy to get rid of me."

Dark Ace grunted in disgust. Piper looked back at Aerrow, who nodded. Piper turned back. "So you are completely powerless?"

Small tears formed at the corner of Cyclonis' black rimmed eyes. "Yes."

"Alright then. We want Stork and Junko back and you want your Cyclonia back. In order for that to happen, we need you two to promise something."

Cyclonis tensed.

* * *

Menaphis sat in Cyclonis' throne. He had moved it to a larger, more menacing room, with a huge window as the back wall. He sat gazing at the storm, the lightning flashing across his maroon eyes and the tip of his tail twitching in pleasure.

His form had not ceased changing. His long, black hair grew down the spine of his neck to his shoulder blades, spines ran down from between his ears down to his tail.

The colors of the terra had changed too. The black and violet shades of Cyclonia were now black and forest green. Cyclonia was now Menaphisiem.

Footsteps distracted Menaphis from the storm and he stood up as a crowd of men marched in.

Runn saluted, the shine of admiration springing into his eyes when he was his master. "Sir, the men you have selected are here."

"Good," Menaphis purred. He sprang down from his throne in a single bound and landed with only a small click as his claws hit the stone floor. He straightened and paced over to the men. They stood unafraid, gazing adoringly up at his face.

Menaphis gave them a white smile. "Good morning, men. I see that you are all well fed and have slept well."

"Yes, master," Runn bowed and the other men followed.

"I have called you here because I feel that you are the best for this little… _favor. _Feel up to one?"

"Anything for you, master!" A man in the back called out.

"Thank you. I could never ask for more loyal and promising partners, equals," Menaphis' smile broadened. "I am not giving you orders. This is more of an errand I'm asking you to do. I need you, handpicked by myself, to go to one terra each of your choosing. There, relax, enjoy yourself, but make sure no one finds out what you're doing. Study the lifestyle of the people there. Find out what they have, what they want, and what they need. Then, when you find out the things you need to know, come back here and tell me."

"We don't want to rule with fear anymore. Cyclonis' tactic caused the people of Atmos to hate her and to rebel, just as her father and grandfather have done. But me, I have a more effective idea," Menaphis said, moving from man to man. "We don't want the terras to fear us. We want them to be desperate to join us! Once we know what they want, we can give it to them… on the condition that they join Menaphisiem!" Menaphis winked.

"We're going to bribe?" Runn asked.

"Not exactly. It's more like being neighborly. It's kind of like my good friend Junko here," Stork said, gesturing to the wallop.

Junko's ankle was tied with an extra extra extra thick chain to the throne room's wall. But that was the only sign of hostility. The wallop was seated in an elaborately cushioned chair, fine food in front on him and countless books piled at his side. And yet Junko was gazing sadly at his knuckle busterless hands.

"by giving him the best of care he has ever had, he will see that this place isn't such a prison," Menaphis chuckled, ruffling the wallop's grey hair. "And, if he can get it through his thick skull, he will eventually see that he can't fight want he can't resist. It's futile."

"Yeah, but don't you want all the terras now?" asked one of the men.

"Ah, but that's what Cyclonis wanted. Unlike her, I have patients. You can't build an empire in a week." Menaphis paced to the window and a bolt of lightning cut the sky in half as he watched. The crash of the bolt shook the terra and the men couldn't help but gasp and hold onto each other for balance. Junko held onto his chair like a vice, his eyes squeezed shut and repeatingly whispering, "IhatethisplaceIhatethisplaceIhatethisplace…"

Menaphis turned as a black silhouette against another flash of lightning. His teeth shone white. "Any questions?"

"Yeah," a man raised his hand eagerly. "When do we go, sir?"

"Whenever you feel like it, men," Menaphis said softly.

The men, thrilled, bowed and dashed out of the room, talking excitedly. Menaphis' smile became wider and he slowly turned to walk back up to his throne. With Junko still whispering fearfully in the background, the master of Menaphisiem sat comfortably in his chair and leaned back to watch the storm.

The wrath crystal sat on his left armrest. He picked it up, weighing it in his palm, and tapping its smooth texture with his claws. A lightning flash threw itself at the castle, causing it to tremble.

"Crash all you want," Menaphis hissed at the sky. "I'm here to stay!"

Suddenly a voice spoke. It was soft and sounded like it was coming from a great distance. "What are you doing?"

Menaphis made a half turn to look around his throne. No one had come through the door and the room was empty except for him and Junko. The wallop had become silent a few minutes after the men had left. Menaphis snapped his fingers to catch Junko's attention.

Junko shrank back into his chair, his grey eyes wide. "N-No!"

Menaphis turned back to the storm, dismissing the voice as a figment of his imagination.

It came again, this time louder. "What are you doing?"

Menaphis stiffened and looked around again, searching for the source. The wrath crystal in his hand trembled and he glanced down at it.

At first he thought it was his reflection he was seeing on the smooth red surface, but then he realized that it looked different. The face he saw in the crystal was the face of a young male merb, long black hair falling down the right side of his face and two earrings on his left ear.

"Who are you?" Menaphis hissed.

The merb in the crystal shrugged. "Who do you think?"

"Go away," Menaphis snarled.

The merb laughed. "I can't! I'm a part of you. I am you!"

"You are not me!"

"Maybe not now, but I was," the merb said. "My name is Stork. Ring a bell?"

"No! Now get out of here!" Menaphis shook the crystal furiously, but the face only became bigger and the voice louder.

"What are you doing?! You not only betrayed your friends and joined Cyclonia, but no you have become the very symbol of which you used to fight against! What are you doing?!"

Menaphis growled at Stork. "I am the master! I will have Atmos as my own!"

"Yeah, but in order to do that, you'll have to kill the people who you have once stood alongside with," Stork yelled. "Are you really twisted and sick enough that you have completely forgotten who you are?! What happened to your love for your friends and your home?!"

"Love makes one weak. I love nothing and expect no love back," Menaphis snapped.

Stork rolled his eyes. "This definitely isn't a mind worm's doing!" The merb leaned closer until they were eye to eye; yellowish white against burning maroon. "Listen, this very crystal you're holding is poisoning your mind. It's not you. The wrath crystal uses a person's qualities and bends them to its own use. The longer you're infected, the more evil you'll get and the harder it'll be to get back to normal!"

Menaphis narrowed his pupils to slits, trying to stare his former self down. "What if I don't want to be you again?" Even now, as I look at you, all I see is weakness and stupidity!"

"You can say what you like about me. When I look at you, I see the suffering of many innocent people and the destruction of Atmos, including Terra Merb. I see the death of the Storm Hawks, you friends, and even your Talons will be terrified that you'll suddenly turn on them too! Your world will become on big black hole that you'll be unable to escape from. Is that the destiny you want?"

"I write my own destinies!" Menaphis roared, leaping up and hurling the wrath crystal as hard as he could against the window. The glass shattered and the crystal landed on the rocks below the room, coming to a rest between two boulders.

Rain swept in sheets into the dark room, lightning crisscrossing the clouds and the largest thunderclap yet rocked the terra.

Menaphis stood dripping wet at the window's edge, a black form against the storm. The rain ran down his arms to spill from his claws and, in the glowing wrath crystal's light, it looked like blood.

In the back of the room, Junko fainted. (again)

* * *

Review! Review! Must… have… reviews… to… sur…vive… gurgle cough. Anyhoo… next chapter will be up in a few days. Sooner if I get enough reviews. : P luv Stork!!! 


	26. The Talon Hawks' plan

The Talon Hawks' plan

* * *

"Alright, now that we're one team," Piper said, standing at the meeting table. "We need a plan to get what is ours back." 

"First, though, what we need is a team name," Finn put in. "Might I suggest," he struck a pose. "The Finn and the Finn Wannabes?"

"How about Finn and the people who are going to maul him if he doesn't keep his mouth shut?"

Finn flinched at Dark Ace's suggestion. "Ugh, no. Too… um, long."

"Aaaaaanyways…" Piper pointed down to her map. "I was thinking that we could maybe use a cloaking crystal, not that I have one, to sneak onto the terra. If there are any guards by the windows, then we could easily take them out with little or no noise behind the rocks here."

Cyclonis leaned over the sketch of her former Cyclonia. "Yes, there are many jagged rocks with many places to hide in the southwestern side. We could easily slip in through the windows on that side." She pointed them out. "They're high up, so they're no usually guarded."

"And then what?" Aerrow asked, propping up his head on the table.

"And then," Piper stepped back from the table with a defeated look. "I have no idea!"

"Neither do I," Cyclonis sighed. "We've spent, like, four hours, trying to come up with a plan that has more than a ten percent of actually succeeding."

"What's the ten percent probability?"

Cyclonis shrugged. "We just sneak in and somehow make our way to where ever your wallop friend and pilot are."

"So, in other words," Aerrow mused. "We just make it up as we go?"

"Yeah, pretty much."

"Oh yeah, and then your pilot, who is now the master of Menaphisiem and quite a few terras, will kill us as soon as we set foot inside," Dark Ace said bitterly. "The place is crammed full of Talons. You don't need to be there to see that."

"Alright then, we somehow get inside, make it down unseen to where Junko and St-Menaphis are, and now we're face to face with them," Aerrow said. "Then what?"

"Um… we… fight?" Piper offered.

"But that would set off an alarm," Dark Ace sighed, feeling that he was the only sane one present.

"But how did we get inside?" Cyclonis asked, confused.

"We snuck inside."

"How?"

"I dunno! How did we get in the first time?"

"Finn and Junko got in through the imported bins of doughnuts," Aerrow recalled.

"I shut down all the imports and started to make my resources after I found out how you got inside," Cyclonis said. "I doubt Menaphis would be dumb enough to reopen them."

Aerrow went on. "Finn and I once snuck in as engineers."

Again Cyclonis denied it. "I created a special training class to create my own engineers. Menaphis wouldn't stop such a production."

"And Menaphis, since he was once Stork, wouldn't fall for our Talon or animal disguises," Piper said. She stared at the map for a moment, and then collapsed into the seat beside Cyclonis. ""I've got nothing!"

Aerrow slammed his fist into this palm, the determined we're-going-on-a-dangerous-mission look on his face. "Then I guess we're going to go with the make it up as we go plan. I don't think we should wait. We're as rested as could be, no help is going to come, and there's no point in trying to fix the Condor stranded like this. Let's get our battle gear together!"

Dark Ace straightened as Aerrow said that. "You're just going to dive headfirst into a ninety percent chance of failure? Are you people crazy?"

Aerrow thought about it. "Um… yeah. And lucky!"

"Even though our luck seems to have failed us lately," Piper sighed, heading for her room.

"I've got it!" Finn shouted, slamming his fist on the table. "It's perfect!"

They all perked up. "You have a plan?"

Finn's face screwed up at the misunderstanding. "Heck no! I've got a team name! The Talon Hawks! Eh? Eh?"

"Finn…" Piper groaned. Radarr shook his head.

"Hmm…" Aerrow stroked his chin. "Kinda catchy."

* * *

"Nearly half of our airships have been disguised as pirate cruisers, crystals are poring in by the ton, my men are as happy as can be, and the pirates are getting all the blame," Menaphis said, walking along the dock with Runn. The Master stopped beside a bucket of flame crystals and ran his claws gently across them. "Could anything be going more perfectly?"

"No, sir," Runn said smartly, his eyes shining adoringly. "You're flawless!"

"I know," Menaphis purred. "But where would I be without friends like you?"

Runn's face shined with glee.

"Sir!" A Talon strutted up and saluted. "The newest squadron has arrived."

"Thank you, Jared," Menaphis said, bending his long neck in a nod. "Bring them here."

Jared turned and waved to a group of six to come toward them. The strangers left their skimmers and approached boldly.

"I thank you for becoming the eighth sky knight squadron to join Menaphisiem," Menaphis said smoothly. "How is your terra, Merduri, sky knight of the Gold Falcons?"

"Oh, Terra Snowgra is better than ever now that it's part of Menaphisiem, master," Merduri said coldly. "And I think I'll go under the name of Stajj again."

Menaphis nodded. "As you wish. Repton, Snipe, and Ravess are at the entrance. They will lead you to your new quarters."

Stajj smiled, which was more like a sneer. "Thank you, master.

* * *

The Menaphisiem airship _Thunder run _pulled into the docks between two other carriers and the landing crew caught her ropes and made fast to the posts. The ship's original red and black hull was now black, green, and had white skulls and crossbones splotched crudely on her sides. Her crew, Talons disguised as filthy pirates, lowered the ramp and began pushing their stolen cargo down to the landing group, who loaded the cargo into carts to be taken to Menaphisiem's storage rooms.

A Talon pirate shoved a bin down the ramp and turned to a box on his right. It was unusually large than the rest of the cargo. He wrapped his arms around a corner and tugged as hard as he could, grunting with exertion. The box wouldn't budge.

"Victor," he called to a companion. "Help me out with his one, will ya?"

Together they managed to push the box to the ramp and tipped it until it slid down. The box nearly toppled as it hit the bottom, but something within its wooden boards shifted and it righted itself.

The leader of the landing crew adjusted his cap to peer at the large box. "We'll take this one on the next round with the rest, boys. Just leave it there for now."

Backs turned and the loaded carts wheeled away slowly farther down the docks. The Talon pirates set to work on helping the crew beside them. The box was left by the ramp, ignored.

"Alright, on the count of three…" came a voice from inside. "One… two… three!"

The lone Talon, who had remained behind on the _Thunder run_, straightened from rummaging through a bin at the sound of the voice. He glanced over at the box. "What the...?"

The box suddenly lifted seemingly all by itself and appeared to float in midair in the shadow of the airship. The Talon gawked at it, and then his eyes rolled up and he fainted with a wump on the dock floor.

"Alright, forward, march!" the voice said quietly.

The five pairs of legs, protruding through holes carved in the bottom of the box, jostled and tangled, each pair attempting to go their own way.

"Stop! Stop!" the voice whispered. "I said forward!"

"Which way is forward?" a girl hissed.

The box shifted. "Um… that way?"

"How do you know? Do you want us to fall off the edge?"

"Just a sec. Radarr, give me the drill."

There was a buzz and the drill's point punctured the box's side. It wiggled around to widen the hole and then withdrew back inside. Someone blew the wooden shavings away and a green eye peered out.

"Well?" came an impatient boy's voice. "What do you see?"

"Oh, yeah. We're definitely here!" The green eye darted from ship to ship to the Talons to the castle looming over them like a mammoth black icicle. "We need to go left so that we'll stay out of sight and can get inside unnoticed."

"Oh yeah, Aerrow," said someone sarcastically who sounded like Finn. "No one would notice a walking box with ten legs."

"Follow my directions and that won't happen," Aerrow growled. "Now go left."

"Your left or my left?"

"My left."

"Why your left?"

"Because if we're facing opposite ways, Finn, then it would be the right to you."

"Ah," Finn said. Pause. "Eh?"

The other four pairs of legs shuffled left, dragging Finn's along. Aerrow pressed his eye to the peephole, watching the dock floor beneath them. "A little right… a little more… left… not too much… a bit more… now right… left… right… right… I said right!"

The carts were rolling back toward the _Thunder run_. The sky knight didn't see them.

"Stopstopstop! Alright, now go left, that's right, Finn… more… we're almost behind the next ship…" He caught a glimpse of Talons waving to the approaching carts. "Crud! Drop! Play dead!"

The legs popped back into the box and it dropped to the deck with a clunk, five yards away from where it had been set down.

The captain of the landing crew dismounted the first cart and gestured toward the airship. "Get out the remaining bins and put them with the others. Make sure the really big one is at the bottom."

"Um, sir?" A Talon kicked the fainted Talon's arm lightly.

The captain grabbed the fainted Talon by the front of his uniform and shook him awake. "Laying around on the job, Arnold?"

Arnold raised a trembling hand and pointed at the box, his eyes wide in disbelief. "G-G-Ghost box!"

The captain glanced from the Talon to the box. "Why did you move it way over there? Were you trying to push it over the edge?"

"But… but…" Arnold stammered to explain.

"Todd, take this idiot to the storage room to work. Maybe a few hours of reality away from the sun will clear his head of silly hallucinations," the captain said, whacking the unfortunate on the back of the head. "Really, ghost boxes? What's next, vampire kitchen pans?"

As the poor Talon was lead away, the others laid a net on the dock floor and pushed the heavy box onto it. A hook was lowered from a nearby crane and the Talons tossed the net's ends onto it. The crane lifted and soon the box was swaying high over the docks.

"What's happening?!" a girl inside squeaked.

"Finn! Get your butt out of my face!"

"Gah! Who has their foot in my gut?"

"Who's tail is this?"

"Raaawr!"

Aerrow, plastered to the box's floor at the bottom of the pile, watched the world far below swing back and forth through a leg hole. He resisted the urge to bring his breakfast up for a visit.

"That's it! Nice and easy!" The captain directed the crane to swing the box over to dangle it above the first cart. "Now release!"

The hook dropped and the box fell with a crash into the cart's huge metal bin. Talons yanked the net from under the box and went back to the ship for another load.

"You call that nice and easy?" Finn grumbled.

Piper elbowed him aside and looked through a crack between two boards. "I can't tell where we are. All I can see is sky."

Dark Ace tapped the side of the box and there came a slight ringing sound. "We're inside one of those metal bins of the loading carts. I should know, I helped design them."

"Great," Aerrow muttered, searching around in the darkness for the drill. He found it, and drilled another hole in the wooded ceiling. He cleaned it free of shavings and peered through it. "Yep. That's where we are. Stand back."

The sky knight activated a blade and began to saw a hole. Now that inside was lit in blue light, Finn slapped Dark Ace's foot from his side. "So that's who had his foot in my gut."

Piper couldn't help but smile at Cyclonis. "Wow, now that you're on our side, I can actually think of you as a real friend! Maybe we'll get really close!"

Finn tried to squeeze from between Aerrow and Dark Ace, gasping for fresh air. "Oh yeah. We're all closer than ever!"

Sawdust rained down on them and a large chunk of wood fell in. Aerrow poked his head out. "Wow, this bin is really deep. We can't get out of here without getting attention from the entire dock."

"Then what do we do?" Cyclonis whispered fearfully.

Aerrow pulled his head back in and pressed the chunk of wood to the hole. "Sit tight and wait to be unloaded. We might have a chance since we're at the bottom."

As if to prove his point, the bin shook and they were bump roughly. So many boxes were piled on top of them; they feared that the wood would give.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity of breathless waiting, the cart started with a jolt and they were slowly carried away.

It was darker than ever inside. The five (six if including Radarr) huddled shoulder to shoulder in the tight space, their breathing the only sounds beside the soft rumble of the cart's engine and the creaking of the wood all around them.

"I sure hope this driver knows what he's doing," Finn whispered, his eyes glancing around blindly in the blackness. "I'd hate to suddenly feel the ground beneath the wheels vanish."

"I don't think the driver would be dumb enough to drive right off the edge of the dock, Finn," Piper said reassuringly. "Now, if it was you who's driving…"

"I'd dump this lousy load and go to Terra Ray," Finn mumbled miserably.

Aerrow put his hand on what he thought was Finn's shoulder, which was actually Dark Ace's. "We'll go to Terra Ray after we work this out."

"If we ever do," Finn sighed. After that came an uncomfortable silence.

The silence was broken by Cyclonis. "I feel so bad."

"Why?" Piper turned to her new friend in the darkness, concerned.

"I was the master of Cyclonia, an evil alliance who went around hurting innocent people and taking over terras and terrorizing all of Atmos," Cyclonis said sadly. "Now that I'm a completely different person, I can look back and realize that what I've done is so much like a… a… a monster!"

"Don't say that," Piper comforted her, hugging her closely. "You're not her anymore."

"Um… Piper?" Finn gasped, stiff as a board in Piper's arms. "You're hugging the _wrong _person here!"

"Gah!" Piper recoiled in disgust.

"Well, then," Cyclonis said hesitantly. "If I'm not her anymore… can I be called Lark again?"

Piper immediately perked up. "Um, sure. Yeah. It's perfect!"

"Shhh!" Aerrow waved for silence, feeling the engine of the cart slow. "I think we're stopping."

The cart halted. Slowly the Talon Hawks (Finn's squadron name, ain't it perty?) felt the metal bin rise.

"What are they doing?" Finn yelped. "Why are we going up?"

"I sure hope they aren't doing what I think they're doing…" Cyclonis, now Lark, whimpered.

The bin tipped and all the boxes inside pored out like water. The Talon Hawks' box landed on the top of the giant pile of previous unloadings and bounced. They landed hard and slid down the pile, yelling at the top of their lungs.

Not far from the heap from boxes, a Talon looked at another Talon. "Fred, do you hear something?"

His companion shook his head. "No George."

They finally came to the bottom of the heap and hit an extremely heavy box head on. They flipped over and came down with a crash and a splinter of wood.

"Is everyone alright?" Aerrow groaned, at the bottom of the pile of moaning bodies again.

But, before anyone could answer, Piper gasped. They looked over at her and saw that she was crouching at the side of the box, looking out through a crack in the box's side.

Aerrow wiggled out from under Finn and knelt beside her. "What? What is it?"

Piper didn't even twitch. "You all have to see this."

"Alright then," Dark Ace wretched the crack wide enough for them all to peer through. They crowded side by side and looked to where Piper was staring. And all the hope and strength they held in the fiber of their being faded.

Stork stood nearly fifteen feet tall, his neck five times it's normal length and width, his chest and torso long and lean, his legs just as long and curved like a cat's, and a long tail slithered around his feet. Sharp fangs the size of Aerrow's little finger curved from under his lip and his black hair grew long and full from his forehead down to his shoulders. Needle-like spines protruded from his spine from the bent horns on his head to the tuft of black fur at the tip of his tail, gleaming ivory on the unusually sunny day. His fingernails were twice as long and were razor sharp like black hooks. Stork's four toes were long and ended in sharp tips, the merb's thumb toe high on his leg. Thousands of small scales sparkled beneath his short green fur like polished gems, catching the sunlight as mirrors do.He was with a sky squadron group, talking with them.

"Is… is that… Stork?" Finn's words came out as a raspy rush of air.

"The wrath crystal changes one's appearance to match that of their mind," Lark whispered breathlessly. "But I had no idea…"

"That's not all."

They tore their shocked eyes from Stork to where Aerrow knelt, his eyes glued on the sky squadron talking with their former friend. "The man in the front is Merderi, also known as Stajj."

"You're right," Piper agreed after a moment. Her tone became angry. "Those treacherous scum! They really are evil even without the effects of the morphing crystal!"

"Stajj," Lark repeated. "Yes. That is him. I remember what he looked like before I gave him the crystal."

All farther talking was stifled as Dark Ace abruptly turned and tore a plank out of the back of their box. The Talon waved them out. "Hurry up. Get behind the pile of boxes. We can't stay any longer or we'll end up in the storage room."

They ran from the box, keeping low and running fast, praying with everything they had that no one would turn and see them. Luckily all the Talons were occupied and didn't notice.

Dark Ace gestured them to crouch behind the pile, glanced about hurriedly, and then took off in a fast sprint for the castle itself. The others followed.

"Hey!" A Talon only had a chance to look up and see them dashing madly toward him before Dark Ace dealt him a swift blow in the neck that sent him sinking to the deck, unconscious.

The Dark Ace flattened himself against the castle's side, hiding in the shadows. Aerrow threw himself beside him. "Great. We're here. Now what?"

The Talon kicked at a crack at his feet and a small door swung open at the base. Aerrow gaped at it. "Oh."

"Get in!" Dark Ace held it open, casting hasty glances over his shoulder as they filed in, and then ducked inside himself.

Piper coughed and waved at a spider web. "Ugh, what is this place?"

Dark Ace brushed past her. "It's a secret tunnel dug by myself. I thought it would come in handy one day or another."

"It sure did," Lark said in relief, following him down the dark tunnel.

Dark Ace lead the way though the dim, dusty, airless burrow. "This isn't far from Cyclonis' old throne room. The exit or entrance is right below her chair."

He stopped. Where they were appeared to be a dead end, but then they saw that it continued upwards. Dark Ace grasped the first rung and held out his hand to Lark. She took it shyly.

The climb was a short one. Soon Dark Ace pushed the chair covering the opening aside and they were out. Aerrow helped Piper onto her feet and couldn't help but shudder. The last time he was in the room he was now, he destroyed the Aroara Stone and Cyclonis' storm engine. Not a happy memory.

Dark Ace leaped down the staircase and approached the giant double doors at the end of the cavern. He pressed an ear to it and listened. A moment passed, and then Dark Ace turned to them, confused. "I don't understand. The hall behind these doors should be crammed full of activity."

"Why? What's wrong?" Aerrow joined him.

There was no sound at all.

Eyebrows set in a determined expression, the sky knight took the handle and opened a door just the tiniest crack. He peered through it, and then opened it farther. "What the..?"

The entire hall was abandoned. Dark Ace brushed past Aerrow and walked the length of the hall until he stood before the grand hall, the very heart of commotion. He stood like a statue, the blood drained from his face. Slowly he turned.

"No one. They know we're here."

* * *

I tried to make this chapter longer. U like it? I do. I think this is the best chapter so far besides my first one, the one I accidentally deleted and can't get it back on without totally redoing it. Sigh. Anyways, tell me if it's any good. I'm a first time author and I don't really know what sounds good and what doesn't. I guess that comes with experience. Luv Storkie : p 


	27. Inside Menaphisiem

Inside Menaphisiem

* * *

Menaphisiem was in total darkness. The docks were abandoned, the quarters were empty, even the kitchen was deserted. Carts full of cargo and crystals were left all over the halls, but there was no sign of life. Nothing.

Menaphis sat in his throne facing the door, his sharp chin resting on his chest and his tail curled around his heels. He was patiently waiting. Eventually the intruders would make their way to were they were. Eventually they would come. But they would only find one friend still waiting for them.

His eyes shifted from the door to Junko. The food and the books were still in front of him, but the wallop had touched none of them. His dark brown skins was turning pale and his face was slightly thinner.

Junko noticed Menaphis' gaze and turned to avoid it.

"You can call for them, you know," Menaphis said quietly. His smooth voice washed over the cavern like cold water.

"No, it's a trap!" Junko wimpered.

"Maybe, maybe not."

The wallop turned and tried to glare, but failed. "I can't believe your doing this! I may not understand all this bad crystal stuff that Cyclonis did to you, but I know that you must have some kind of choice!"

Menaphis chuckled. "I can't believe you've been here for days and still haven't seen the uselessness of resisting. I've gained control of twelve terras and eight sky knight squadrons in two days. In a few more, I'll have nearly half of Atmos under my command."

A tear fell and splattered on Junko's knee. "Why do you want Atmos so bad?"

Menaphis looked a little surprised at the question, but then thought deeply about it. "Because it's there."

* * *

"We should get out right now and go back," Dark Ace said, turning from the abandoned Grand Hall and took Lark's arm.

Aerrow hooked his elbow and pulled him back. "What do you mean? We just got in here and now you want to quit?"

"Look around you, sky knight," Dark Ace spat out the words, wrenching his arm from Aerrow's grasp. "They know we're here. If we stay, we'll all be ambushed and killed. Then where would Atmos and your friends be, eh?"

Aerrow quickly darted in his path. "So now you care about Atmos?"

"I care about Atmos so that Cyclonis may rule it!"

"Well, that's not going to happen if you run away from freeing it!" Aerrow matched Dark Ace's tone. "And actually, looking back at your Cyclonia, I think I'd rather Menaphisiem! At least they don't go around harming everyone in their sight!"

"He's sending out raids to rob merchant ships!" Dark Ace plunged his free hand into a nearby barrel and brought up a handful of messenger crystals.

Aerrow laughed. "And you didn't?"

"If you Storm Hawks want to snoop around and get stabbed in the back, fine. But I want no part of it, and I won't let Cyclonis have a part of it either!" Dark Ace snarled.

Lark resisted his pull back to the throne room. "No! We have to stay and fight!"

Dark Ace turned on her. "What?"

Lark pulled his hand from her arm. "Aerrow's right! If we don't stay and fight, the Atmos will soon be under Menaphisiem's control! And, if we don't help and win, then your dream and Cyclonis' will never come true!"

"It's better than getting killed," Dark Ace retorted. "I promised to take care of you when I first swore my loyalty to you. I'm not about to break it now!"

"So, you swore your loyalty to me?" Lark said thoughtfully.

Dark Ace took hold of her arm and tugged her toward the room. "Yes, and that's why you're coming with me."

"What if I want to stay?" Lark jerked her arm away again. She ducked behind Aerrow as Dark Ace angrily stepped toward her. "Doesn't that mean that you have to come with me if you swore to protect me?"

Dark Ace stopped and stared at her for a moment. And then he turned and began to walk back down the hall back to the old throne room. "I swore to protect Cyclonis. You're not her."

Lark gasped and started after him. "Wait!"

Dark Ace didn't even look back. He turned the corner and was gone. Lark halted halfway down the hall and looked back over her shoulder at the Storm Hawks, and then back. She looked scared.

"So, are you with us, or do you want to go with him?" Aerrow said, crossing his arms.

"It's alright if you want to go, Lark," Piper said quietly.

Lark's eyebrows came together as she looked from face to face. Even Radarr seemed to look at her with a pitying expression. She turned to face them, lips tightly pressed together and her hands gripping her hips. "Stop looking at me like that! I don't need sympathy! I can fight just as well as any of you!"

Aerrow held up his hands as if to hold off an expected attack. "Alright, alright! So, are you with us?"

Lark suddenly appeared undecided. She glanced back at the throne room. No Dark Ace. "Yeah. I guess I am."

"There's no guessing," Aerrow said firmly. "You're either with us or you're not."

"I'm with you," Lark made up her mind. She pulled out Piper's old staff from her belt and twirled it to prove her point.

"Alright then, let's go," Aerrow said cheerfully.

Piper snatched his collar and pulled him back none too gently. "Whoa, there. You're just going to waltz right into a here in plain sight?"

"Um… yeah? It's dark. Anyways, is there any other way?"

A small smile slipped onto her lips. "Maybe…"

* * *

"I can't believe we're doing this," Aerrow mumbled from under the overturned wheelbarrow. "AGAIN!"

"Shush!" Piper hissed from behind him. "Wheelbarrows don't talk!"

"Yeah," Finn grumbled. "They don't scoot around and have eight legs either."

The wheelbarrow moved slowly down one of the many dark hallways in Menaphisiem, the four people (and a sky monkey) crouching low under it and shuffling along as steadily as they could.

"This is ridiculous," Finn muttered. "Do we even know where we're going?"

Lark, in the front, peered under the wheelbarrow. "I think we're in the hallway with the Talon's quarters. Where is Menaphis' throne room?"

"No idea," Finn sighed. His stomach growled. "Let's try the kitchen."

"Let's just go into one of these rooms and see if I'm right," Lark said.

They all shuffled their own way, Aerrow and Finn to the right, Lark and Piper to the left.

"Stop! Stop!" Piper whispered hoarsely.

Slowly the jostling ceased.

"It's to our left, boys," Lark gestured with her head. "We should all be facing the same way, so you should get it right. One… two… three!"

They turned left… except for Finn. The wheelbarrow, pulled left, but yanked right, stayed where it was and the people under it were snapped back to where they started.

"I said _left, _Finn!" Lark said angrily.

"Sorry," came the bashful apology.

Piper took a deep sigh. "Alright, let's do this right. Now!"

They tried again… with the same result.

"Finn!" they all cried.

"But you said, and I quote, 'let's do this right!' You said that, I heard it!" Finn persisted.

"Piper! Stop throttling him!"

"Shush! Finn! Quite screaming! You'll give us away!"

"Rawr!"

"Let go! Let go!"

"Shut up!"

"Move!"

The wheelbarrow tipped over and fell onto the stone floor with an earsplitting metallic clang. Everyone froze. Minutes ticked by as the noise echoed up and down the halls. It seemed like an eternity.

Finally the last few echoes died away and they released the breath they had been holding in one great sigh. Aerrow threw a look over his shoulder to the dark, forbidding stretch of hall behind them. Any second, a gang of armed Talons could come charging out of the darkness at them.

"Alright then," Aerrow whispered, gripping the wheelbarrow and heaving it over their heads again. "Let's not ever do that again!"

"Think anybody heard that?" Finn squeaked.

"Probably," Lark said as they began to shuffle down the hallway again, this time much faster. "But this place is so big, it's almost impossible to pinpoint the source of a single noise."

Aerrow saw her point, but his instincts kept his guard up. They reached the end of the hall and started down another.

"Aw, man!" Finn groaned. "This place is endless!"

"Who knows how long we'll be searching this place," Lark said sourly. "And, sooner or later, we'll end up running into Talons!"

"We can kick their butts easily," Aerrow reassured her.

"The only thing that's really bothering me is that we're just four people and a weasel in an evil fortress crammed full of evil people with an evil mastermind and we have no idea where they are!" Finn moaned. "And why is this place so dark? Isn't there supposed to be light crystals everywhere?"

"I'm either going with Dark Ace's guess that they know we're here and are hiding somewhere to ambush us," Aerrow said. "Or maybe they have an assembly somewhere, you know, to introduce a new project or something."

Finn snorted. "No doubt a new dooms day machine."

"Or it could be a feast or something like that," Lark suggested. "Feasts are always good for a Talon's moral."

"But it's so funny that one second everyone in Menaphisiem was working their butts off, and then suddenly everyone just disappeared," Aerrow said, half to himself and half to the others.

Radarr, crawling next to Aerrow, suddenly squawked and pointed ahead. At the end of the hallway, there was a string hanging from the ceiling. On the end of the string, steam still rising from the meat, a hamburger hung.

Lark cocked her head to look up at it. "That's weird."

Before anyone could stop him, Finn was grabbing at the burger in a flash. "Great! I'm starving!"

"Finn! Don't-aahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh" Aerrow started, but his words became a yell as the sharpshooter tugged at it and the stone beneath them crumbled.

Piper, just as she felt the floor beneath her give, whipped out a small grappling hook from her belt and swung it to a crack in the stone roof. The hook caught it and Piper grabbed Lark's wrist, who in turn snatched Finn's. Aerrow caught Finn's foot and took Radarr's ears.

The wheelbarrow fell like a rock. The sky knight watched the rusty metal be swallowed up by the darkness below his swaying feet. He gulped hard and tore his eyes from the void to look up at where Piper's fingers were slipping from the cord. "Piper, any more ideas?"

Piper tried to answer, but her teeth gritted harder as she slid farther down the line. Lark panted as she glanced down at Finn. "Finn, your hand is sweaty. It's slipping!"

Finn attempted to bring himself up to get a better grip on her wrist, but only succeeded in causing the entire line to swing. Lark squeezed her eyes shut. "Please don't do that."

Finn's hand was slipping even farther. "Well, what do you want me to do?"

Aerrow managed a smile. "Do it again."

"W-what?" Lark gasped.

"Everyone! Swing back and forth and I'll see if I can grab the ledge!" Aerrow said loudly. Radarr crawled up his arm to balance on his shoulder and the sky knight outstretched his free hand. He began to move his feet back and forth like a playground swing.

Finn winced. "Owowowow! You're pulling my foot off!"

"Just a little more! Swing harder!" Aerrow reached out as far as he could, his fingertips coming within centimeters of the ledge. The others threw their weight on the line, sweat running down their faces as they heard the cord beginning to snap.

"Almost there!" Aerrow hurled all his strength back, and then they stopped nearly horizontal for a heartbeat, and then soared downwards, upwards, and his hand caught the ledge firmly. "Got it!"

"Great," Finn sighed, his body bent in a funny angle as they hung in a U. "Now what?"

"Finn, I need you to bring Lark closer to me so that I can get a hold on her hand," Aerrow directed. He swung up his foot to where his hand had a hold on the ledge and then the other foot followed. He then grasped Finn's ankle with both hands.

The sharpshooter looked from Lark to Aerrow. "Great plan. How do I do it?"

"Figure something out!" Piper said hurriedly. "This cord isn't designed to support this much weight!"

Finn curled up in a ball, tightening their line as he stretched Lark's hand to Aerrow's on his ankle. "There, her hand is right above yours."

The sky knight quickly shot out with one hand and grabbed her wrist. And then he slowly, painstakingly inched his other hand from Finn's ankle join it on Lark's. Finn was practically sitting on their arms now.

"Now, Finn, climb across me to the ledge," Aerrow said through his clenched jaw.

The sharpshooter hesitated, and then unsteadily got on his hands and knees, balanced on their outstretched arms. He sped up at Lark's "Hurry up!"

He crawled bit by bit until he got to the end of Aerrow's arm. He got onto his friend's ribs and was forced to straddle it. "Oh, this is so wrong. So wrong!"

Finn scooted down Aerrow's midriff and then got up on his hands and knees again. His hand slipped while he was crawling past the sky knight's waist.

Aerrow yelped. "Careful right there!"

"Sorry! Sorry!" Finn moaned. He got to Aerrow's knees, swayed, and then made a mad leap for the ledge. He caught it, waited for his body to stop swinging, and then clambered onto solid ground. The sharpshooter collapsed on the stone floor, kissing it feverishly. "Oh, ground… I'll never leave you as long as I live!"

"Um… Finn?" Finn peered over the ledge at where his companions were hanging. Aerrow looked down, and then at Finn pleadingly. "A little help anytime you're ready would be nice."

"Right!" Finn got down on his belly and took Aerrow's feet. He wiggled back, drawing him in like a fish. Aerrow, once he was on solid ground, flipped over on his stomach and, together with Finn, reeled in Lark. Radarr had stayed with Piper. As one, they threw their weight on the line and Piper let go, flying into them and bowling Finn over.

They sat on the ground, catching their lost breath and thinking of what might have happened if they had done otherwise.

Aerrow swallowed hard. "So, do you guys still want to go one? I have a pretty good hunch that this booby trap was a warning."

"We can't go back now," Lark said, pushing her black hair from her eyes wearily. "We've come so far inside. I know they can't be too far from here!"

"Yes, but we still don't know what we're going to do once we find them," Finn said miserably. "Or they find us."

Aerrow stood up shakily. "Let's vote. People who want to go back, raise your hands."

Finn and Radarr reluctantly raised their hands.

"People who want to stay?"

Piper and Lark lifted their hands.

"I guess it's a tie," Aerrow said quietly, gazing back at where they came.

"It's up to you now," Piper declared.

Aerrow's eyes shifted from the darkness ahead, and then back. "We know the way back is safe if we can find the same route. And then we could wait for others to come for reinforcements, but that could take weeks. By then, who knows how many terras and squadrons Menaphis will possess? Anyways, we don't have nearly enough supplies to last us that long with the Condor broken. And there're no terras near enough to get to with our skimmers. But if we stay…"

Aerrow became silent. He sat down and closed his eyes. He thought deep and long.

Meanwhile, the others napped. Finn and Piper, who thought they were far enough away from each other not to, leaned against each other as they slept restlessly. Lark lay curled up on the opposite wall, her hand stilled in midstroke on Radarr's side. The shadows deepened from the single window in the hall as night approached. The air was colder and their breaths were becoming puffs of white mist.

* * *

Aerrow's green eyes opened. He had made up his mind. The sky knight stood and shook Piper's shoulder and then went over to wake Lark. Piper's eyes flickered open sleepily and she yawned contently. She blinked at the ground, and then focused on the face millimeters from hers. Finn had a snot bubble coming in and out of his left nostril with each inhale and exhale. Piper screamed and scrambled away.

Lark got up with Aerrow's help and remembered what they had stopped for. "Well? Did you come up with a conclusion?"

"Yes," Aerrow said, rubbing the back of his neck uneasily. "I decided that we should go on."

His grim face silenced any complaints. Aerrow went on, "we'll at least try to get Junko out with us. With him, we'll be one goal down and one stronger."

Piper nodded. "Right." And then they were off.

Without the wheelbarrow to cover them, the Talon Hawks were in plain sight even in the darkness. Feeling prone, they gripped their weapons. Even Radarr held a large wrench at ready.

Aerrow listened to their feet make soft plops on the cold ground. He was listening for any hollow sounds beneath them. His eyes flitted from shadow to shadow, his blades in his hands and his thumbs on the triggers, prepared to activate them at a second's notice.

A soft rustle caused him to turn and his heart nearly stopped. "Drop!"

The Talon Hawks dived to the floor as a huge blade sliced the air in two. Aerrow felt the keen edge pass over the top of his skull. The blade clanked against the hall's wall and was still.

Aerrow's fingers shook from the suddenness of the trap. His heart pounded wildly.

Lark's movement woke him from his terror and he crawled hand over hand after her. They all remained on their hands and knees as the last of them slipped from under the blade.

Finn's face was deathly white. "Alright, that's it. Let's go!"

Aerrow was about to agree when a second blade shot from the wall behind them. The sky knight activated a blade and met it head on. Sparks flew in every direction as the crystal knife met the blade's metal tip.

"Go!" Aerrow snapped. His team darted from the blades' path and Aerrow put all his strength in keeping the blade back. His feet slid on the stone as the blade struggled to complete its spring. Aerrow suddenly let the blade go and leaped as high as he could. The blade passed under him and the sky knight landed lightly on top of it.

His relief was short-lived. Radarr stepped forward to retrieve his master's blade and his foot stepped on a small stone. The stone dropped and darts rained down from the ceiling. Piper twirled her staff above her head like a propeller and Lark followed suit. The darts hit the staffs and were flung away. Finn, Aerrow, and Radarr dropped under their protection and together they ran farther down the hall, darts flying at them from seemingly everywhere.

"There!" Aerrow shouted, pointing at a cavity in the hall's side. They rushed to it and pressed themselves into it. Finn averted his head from Aerrow's rear. "Okay, I was wrong when we were in the box. _This _is close!"

Piper, the last one in, squashed the others back as the darts continued to drop by the hundreds. She twisted her head over her shoulder to look at Lark, who was compressed between Aerrow and her. "Say, do you hear something?"

The cavity's back suddenly caved in and they fell back with a shout. Piper's hands briefly caught the sides, but they slipped. They fell down, down, down, and were swallowed up by the darkness far, far below.

* * *

Long enough for u? I luv doing cliffhangers smiles evilly. Dark Ace fans, don't be mad at me. Menaphis and Junko fans, don't revolt. There'll be more of them in the next chapter, I promise! 


	28. Agony

Agony

* * *

Aerrow knew the feeling of falling, the helplessness of plummeting to who knows where, the urge to throw up, the sickly happy daze one gets with the wind blowing one's eyes shut. And then he would throw open his glider and sail off to safety to where Radarr would be flying his skimmer. Right then, falling backwards in darkness in the center of his falling comrades, he couldn't do that. He was actually falling.

His own yells were lost in the screams of the others. The way their voices echoed in the darkness, Aerrow guessed they were falling down a well-like hole. A round and smooth hole that, once at the bottom, would be impossible to climb back up.

Aerrow forced his eyes open despite the sharp air cutting into it like little needles. His hand darted to his remaining energy knife and activated it, slamming it into the side of the hole. His aim was rewarded by a shower of dirt and rock, but was ridiculed by going no slower. The knife hit a larger rock and was jerked from his grasp. He continued to fall…

…until he landed hard on his shoulder blades on the rock at the bottom.

He cried out in shock and pain as did the rest of his companions when they too hit the stone floor. Finn landed on his head (but that's okay because he doesn't have any brain cells to kill anyways), and Piper and Lark fell on Radarr.

It was pitch black except for the stars Aerrow saw dancing before his eyes. The sky knight groaned and sat up slowly, his back aching.

"Aerrow!" Piper crawled over to him. "How's your back?"

"My ba- oh yeah," Aerrow remembered. His back, barely healed from their last mission, was supposed to be resting in bed for another two weeks (doctor's orders, but who listens to them?). "It's fine."

His statement proved to be a lie as Aerrow half-stood, but then collapsed back down with an agonized grunt. "Maybe not."

Lark, the only one with an intact weapon, activated her frost crystal and the place was illuminated in a white glow. Finn, sitting up and rubbing his head, stared miserably at his shattered sharpshooter.

"Where are we?" Lark said in a hushed voice as she rotated in a circle, gazing in awe at the room in which they were in. The hole where they had fallen was forty feet above them in the rocky ceiling.

The walls of the room, which was more of a cavern, were carved with strange but wondrous carvings. The largest carving of all started on the right wall, went onto the back, and ended on the left. It was of a snake-like creature, a snarling cat shaped head, a long mane from its head to the tip of its tail, forelegs at the base of its long neck and rear ones down its even longer belly. The tail twisted like it had a mind of its own, curling around smaller carvings around the left wall. The front wall appeared to be a giant window and a staircase lead up to it.

Lark held her staff up higher and peered hard at the smaller carvings, which were still quite large. Realization hit her. "Those are landmarks."

"Look! Terra Wallop, Terra Neon, Terra Vapos, Terra Ray, Terra Gale, the Expanse, Polaris Point..." Piper's eyes went along the seemingless line of landmarks. "Even Atmosia."

"Yes, impressive, eh?"

Aerrow whirled at the voice, saw nothing, and then twirled the other way.

A chilling laughter shook the cavern. Aerrow, frustrated, turned here and there. The voice was coming from everywhere. It echoed a thousand times in the room, bouncing off every wall to go to the Talon Hawks.

"So, you were smart enough and dumb enough to get here, eh? I didn't think Finn could resist food on a string when I can hear his stomach growling from inside that box you were crammed in."

Aerrow froze. "Stork?"

"Stork's dead," the voice growled deeply. "My name is Menaphis, as you very well know. My name is all over Atmos, soon to be Menaphisiem."

"We've come for Junko," Aerrow said calmly, his ears tuning on the echoes to find the location of the source.

"And he's here," the voice said mockingly. "But it doesn't mean you're going to get him."

Aerrow kept him talking. "We've also come for Stork."

"Again you say, 'we've come'. No, I've brought you," the voice chuckled dryly. "You got in here, and now I've decided to keep you in here." The voice lowered. "As decorations."

"Get out," another voice whispered from the shadows at the base of the right wall. Junko's features were barely recognizable in the darkness. "He keeps his promises. Get out!"

"Right. Run. Go ahead. Who's stopping you? I don't care if you live or die. You don't mean a thing to me."

Aerrow kept his face expressionless. "I don't believe that."

"Oh?"

A flash of red lightning sliced the skies in two. The window, forming the front wall, was lit up and the staircase was darkened into a silhouette. At the top of the stairs, facing them with his back to the window, was the shadow of Menaphis.

His maroon eyes glowed like coals, his teeth bared in a white devil's grin against his black silhouette. The tip of his tail slashed the air in two with a snap. And then the lightning receded and the staircase was encased in darkness again.

"Ae-rrow…"

Aerrow looked down at his feet. A small chunk of red crystal lay dim at his feet. He bent, despite the protest in his back, and picked it up. He gasped. "Stork?!"

The merb's green face was so faint in the crystal's surface that he was barely visible. "Get… out… save yourselves!" What came after those words were garbled, but Aerrow could make out, "he's growing stronger every hour. I'm fading as the wrath crystal grows stronger in my mind. I… can't… hold on…"

Aerrow held the crystal chunk as if it would shatter any second. "Stork! Stork! Stay with me!"

The merb continued to fade. "I-orry."

Junko strained against the chain restraining him. "Get out! Now! While you can!"

"No!" Aerrow angrily stood tall and pointed an accusing finger toward the shadows at the top of the staircase. "I don't know who you are, but I do know that you're not Stork. If you don't get back inside that Wrath Crystal, I'll make you!"

Menaphis laughed and another red flash lit up the room in maroon and shadows. "You and what army, sky knight? I have twelve more terras and six other landscapes to conquer, and then you will be the only resistance left. What then, little human? Are you going to bite my ankles?"

"How did you get all of these terras to side with you? "Aerrow gestured angrily at the carvings all around them. "Terra Vapos, Atmosia, Terra Wallop, they would never join your empire!"

"Simple," Menaphis said smoothly. "By starving their supplies with undercover Talons, and then coming to the 'rescue' to save them with my awesome army and resources. After that, any terra would gladly join the empire that saved them."

"You're mad," Aerrow's tone dripped heavy with disgust.

"And you're pitiful," Menaphis shot back. "You think you're the greatest sky knight in all of Atmos. You think that, just because you carry the title Storm Hawk, you think you can do anything. That the sky is never the limit. But let me tell you," Menaphis leaned forward in his throne, his burning eyes visible. "You're all just a bunch of kids."

Aerrow's breath escaped from between his clenched teeth in a hiss. "I've heard enough of that. I am _not _a kid! I'm the Storm Hawk sky knight!"

"Soon to be the dead Storm Hawk sky knight," Menaphis jeered.

"So kill me already!" Aerrow howled, spreading his arms out to reveal his chest.

Menaphis was silent.

"That's right," Aerrow said softly, his eyes never leaving the dark figure against the window. "You still have an attachment to us. You still feel a feeling of loyalty that you can't get rid of." Aerrow held up the dim crystal. "That's why Stork is still clinging on in here. Did you rip this chunk from the Wrath Crystal because he wouldn't leave you alone? Because he reminded you of your betrayal?"

"He reminded me of how weak I was."

Aerrow was taken aback by the sincerity and bitterness in the words. "What do you mean?"

"Stork was meek, a skinny little thing who wasn't strong enough to defend himself against a weakling like Cyclonis. He was always left behind while the others went off, he always spent time by himself, feeling useless. The only time he felt like he was actually worth something was when the ship was in danger and only he could rescue them. But then it always went back to the start. Stork was simply a tool used to fly the real members around, left to rust when not needed."

"That's not true," Aerrow snarled. "Stork was and is our friend! He's part of the Storm Hawks, a true member! He's our family!"

Menaphis half stood, his fangs flashing. "You're a child! What do you know? You know nothing of this!"

Aerrow stepped to the first step, shouting back, "I know that Stork is the best pilot in Atmos and the best Storm Hawk member ever! He's the center piece of our team, without him, we all fall apart!" His hand shot out to point at Junko. "The same with Junko! We demand them back!"

"Demand denied!" Menaphis roared.

"I'm not asking," Aerrow hissed. "I'm taking them wither you want it or not!"

Menaphis' twisted face loosened to a tight smile. He leaned back in his throne and Aerrow lost sight of his face. "And how do you plan to do that, Aerrow?"

Words died in the sky knight's throat. He had no plans.

"That's exactly your problem," Menaphis said bitterly. "You've always been a lousy leader."

Piper gathered enough courage to stand alongside her friend. "He's the best!"

"Would the best leader in Atmos lead you straight into a Snowgra blizzard and cause you to end up hurt, depressed, and lost on a strange terra with a bunch of crazed, hostile natives?"

Piper was silent. Aerrow glanced over at her and saw her rub her arm, the one she had sprained badly during their crash on Terra Snowgra.

"See, I'm a good leader. I actually care for my followers. I don't see them as my family, but more like friends, my comrades. My equals who chose to willingly follow me," Menaphis said thoughtfully. "Cyclonis ruled with fear. Now they didn't like that…"

His burning coal eyes shifted to the shadows created by the walls. "…now did you?"

Thousands of Talons suddenly split off from the shadows like phantoms and walked slowly toward the small group in the center, staffs raised and their faces serious. The Talon Hawks looked around them in surprise.

The tips of their staffs were no longer inlaid with red striker crystals. The crystals were black, blacker than the night outside, blacker than the shadows. Little sparks of pure power sprang from them, sizzling as they extinguished on the cold stone floor. The Talons, once laughing evilly and looking ridiculous as they pranced around their victims, were solemn and dangerous looking as they circled gracefully to trap their prey in their midst.

Lark held her frost crystal staff at ready, looking unnerved as more and more Talons just kept coming from nowhere. They circled them like vultures waiting to feast, and then swiftly were still.

Menaphis leaned forward. "Now, what's your brilliant plan, little sky knight?"

Aerrow pressed back to back with his comrades, facing the surrounding Talons with his fists clenched. The entire cavern was filled to maximum with Talons, even around the staircase and the window. Escape was impossible unless they could sprout little wings and fly away.

Menaphis stood up. His black jacket, once fitting loosely around his broad merb shoulders, was now way too tight and hung in torn rags. His pants barely reached past his knees and were much tighter than the former Cyclonian outfits. The gloves for his four-fingered hands were long gone. Menaphis held out his ragged arms for the Talon Hawks to see. "Look at me. This is what the Wrath Crystal's morphing half has done to me. Every second, every moment, I'm changing. I can feel it."

He raised his trembling clawed hands to his eye level, staring at them with wide eyes. "I can feel every little change taking place inside of me. I feel the muscles stretching beyond their limit and then slowly, painfully hurrying to catch up with my growing frame, only to be outgrown in an instant. My bones extend like gum, cracking and snapping in joints that are too small or too large for them to fit in. My organs are exhausted from rushing to supply my body's needs. I feel like I'm dying, and yet I'm not. This is the result of the Wrath Crystal's morphing. I'm growing at an uneven pace, even if it is not visible to your eye." Menaphis shut his eyes and pressed his swollen hands to his heaving chest. "I'm in constant pain. The only relief I get is the satisfaction of my growing empire." His burning eyes snapped open. "And I'm not in the mood to let some brainless, snotty, bratty little child stop me."

Aerrow pushed Piper's hand from his arm and raised an upturned palm up to Menaphis as if to offer something. Menaphis, his lungs sucking in large quantities in an attempt to supply his huge body with enough air, raised an eyebrow in curiosity. Tears had furrowed two streaks down the sky knight's filthy face.

"Even through your wrath crystal's coating, I still sense Stork's presence. Do you not feel it?" Aerrow said, his voice controlled but wavering.

"Yeah, man," Finn stepped forward. "No one can be gone forever if they're still alive… wait… what..?"

Menaphis eyes were full of pain and anger. "I feel it. I feel it along with the pain of my ever growing body every time my heart jolts in a beat. It hurts so much." Menaphis' mouth squeezed in a tight grin as his chest jerked. "So much."

Aerrow couldn't help but cast a glance at the Talons standing motionless around them. Many were expressionless or grim, but he could see the sorrow for their leader in their faces. One had a single tear at the corner of his eye.

"It's all your fault, Storm Hawks."

Aerrow turned back to Menaphis with a startled intake of breath. "What?"

His eyes were wide open and his face was twisted in a snarl. "If it wasn't for you, if I had never joined your wretched team, I wouldn't be here! It's you, sky knight! You and your pitiful little friends!"

Piper gasped and shrank toward Aerrow. "Aerrow…"

Menaphis' eyes were filled with craziness. The agony was taking its toll. "You! If I had never met you, I could be safe in Atmosia! If it wasn't for you, your precious Atmos wouldn't be becoming Menaphisiem, how does that feel, eh?" He spat.

"Stor-Menaphis!" Aerrow's nerves gave and the sky knight felt cold sweat run down his back as the monster took an unsteady step down the stairs toward them.

"If it wasn't for you, then I wouldn't have joined you. If you didn't exist, then Atmos would be safe!" Aerrow could see Menaphis' swollen red gullet. It looked extremely sore.

"Menaphis!" Aerrow held up his hands nervously. "Don't take your anger out on them. If you're blaming me, then let the others and Junko go!"

"SHUT UP!" Menaphis howled, and then doubled over to grip his neck. He hacked up something dark and then hobbled down another step, ashes leaking from between his teeth and from his nostrils. He pointed a wicked black claw at them. "I give the orders now, you brat!"

Aerrow desperately looked around them for any way, anything that might let his friends out. He was an idiot, a fool to let them continue. He had doomed them all. They were going to die. And it was all his fault!

Menaphis crouched on the staircase, clutching his throat. He forced his blazing eyes open and glared hatefully at the Talon Hawks. "Get them! Kill them! Rip them to shreds!" He doubled over in a fit of painful coughing.

The thousands of Talons charged at the prey in the center of their ring, casting concerned looks in the direction of their master. Aerrow braced himself, fresh tears flowing unheeded. _It's all my fault. My friends…_

"Aerrow!"

Aerrow, just as he raised his fists to prepare for the oncoming enemy, looked up and saw Dark Ace leap through the doorway and onto a Talon's head. The Talon fell with a yelp and Dark Ace bounded from one bobbing head to another.

"Dark Ace?" Lark gasped, nearly dropping her staff in disbelief.

"Look out!" The former Talon dropkicked a Talon reaching for her and swept the girl behind him. "Piper!"

Piper turned her head, swinging a lame cooking crystal's small flames at the Talons attacking her. "Little busy!"

Dark Ace tossed her a small blue crystal, and then drew out both of Aerrow's energy knives. He passed one to Aerrow and swiped his with a skillful twist, disarming the nearest one and then booted the next into the one behind him.

Piper ducked behind Aerrow's protection and peered at the crystal. It was a teleportation crystal. She looked up at her former enemy in disbelief. "Where did you get this?"

Finn fell beside her, a large bruise on his forehead. Aerrow cast a hasty glance at the dazed sharpshooter as he stepped over to fill the gape in their defenses. "Does it matter?!"

"Right! Sorry!" Piper held the crystal up. Aerrow, Dark Ace and Lark stood around her and Finn, swinging their weapons like maniacs as the press of Talons began to overwhelm them. She concentrated and the teleportation crystal began to glow like ice.

"Hurry!" Lark cried. Her frost crystal burst into a million shards and Dark Ace pushed her back to join Finn.

Finn, awakened from his daze by her body falling to sit next to him, suddenly leaped up and brushed past Aerrow. "Wait!"

"Finn!" Aerrow dashed after him, fending off the angry Talons with all his might. Finn ran as fast as his feet could carry him. Dark Ace, shielding Lark and Piper with his body, urged them after them.

Junko strained against the chain attaching his ankle to the wall of the cavern. He saw Finn running toward him and sent the Talons nearest to him soaring to the other side of the room with a whack of his fists. Talons whirled onto him, black crystals forming blasts twice as powerful as the original strikers.

"Hold on, buddy!" Finn stretched his hand out, barely three meters away from his roaring friend.

Several things happened at once.

Aerrow felt Piper's hand hold onto his shoulder and he took hold of Finn's.

Lark took Piper's wrist and touched Dark Ace.

Radarr leaped onto Aerrow's head and hung on tight.

Junko reached as far as his arm could go, blood dripping from his ankle manacle.

Menaphis coiled on the staircase and sprang straight at them, claws bared and teeth bared.

Finn's fingers came a centimeter from Junko's, a joyful grin on his battered face.

And then…

… in a flash of blue light, the Talon Hawks were gone.

Junko was left with his hand outstretched to nothing. His overjoyed face was frozen in disbelief. Menaphis landed on all fours and then curled up, snarling in frustration and agony. The Talons lowered their staffs and looked at each other, not fully grasping the disappearance of their victims.

Junko's smile was gone. His fingers slowly lowered and hung limply at his sides, his gaze at the place where Finn had been leaping towards him seconds before.

The Talon Hawk's plan: a total, utter failure.

* * *

 and no, CrystalWildfyr, i did not intend on doing the whole fred and george thing. I just picked the most random names from the top of my head and that was it. please review. i know its sad. i feel. 


	29. Junko inside Menaphisiem

Junko in Menaphisiem

* * *

Aerrow sat at the Condor's meeting table, his hands covering his face and his head hung. It was dark on the bridge; all the remaining light crystals had expired. The small chunk containing Stork was before him, glowing dimmer and dimmer as the hours ticked by. The merb was either too faint to talk or was asleep. The sun was tardy rising and the distant Menaphisiem terra was the only brightness in the horizon. The red lightning was visible miles away.

Piper opened the door and shut it as softly as she could, a small plate in her hands. She approached Aerrow cautiously. "Aerrow? Do you think you could eat a little?"

Aerrow raised his head from his clenched hands a bit. "Huh? Oh, no thanks." His head fell back. "I'm not hungry."

"C'mon, Aerrow!" Piper put down the food and sat beside him. "You can't think if you don't eat properly."

Aerrow just stared at the table top. "Maybe that's a good thing."

Piper put a hand on his shoulder and pulled him toward her. "What do you mean?"

Aerrow swiftly smacked her hand off of him. "Don't you see? Menaphis is right! I'm a lousy, brainless, stupid leader! Every idea I've come up with lately has gotten us into a huge mess! First we crash landed on a remote terra with a bunch of loony traitors, damaged our ship and ourselves, practically _gave _Cyclonis the wrath crystal, and then got hurt even more! And now I abandoned my helmsman so much, Cyclonis managed to get a hold of him and now, thanks to my neglect in rescuing him right away, the wrath crystal through him is taking over Atmos! Now do you see what I mean?!"

Piper stood, her eyes wide in concern. "Aerrow! You know that none of those things are you're fault! I thought we all agreed that it was just one of those freak things!"

"We were wrong!" Aerrow snapped, and then collapsed wearily to the table. "We always are."

Piper didn't know what to say. She stood gazing sadly at the back of the sky knight's head. Finally she pushed the cold plate of food toward him and turned to leave. "I'll just leave this here in case you change your mind… for the better."

Aerrow gazed at the table from between his fists. His head ached. His back was reeking with pain. His left ankle felt like it had been jarred. His hands were burned from fighting close combat with enhanced striker crystals.

The table blurred. Aerrow didn't bother to check the tears that came coursing down from his glazed eyes. There was no point. His eyelids were already red and dry from continuous scrubbing.

_What to do? What to do?_

He felt like giving up. He was ashamed of himself for it, but he truly felt like giving up. Maybe Atmos wouldn't be so bad under Menaphis' control. There wouldn't be any rebellious fighting, everyone would be under the same rule, there wouldn't be any dispute over land, there wouldn't be anymore innocent lives accidentally killed in fights…

And maybe Finn and Piper would get along (yeah right).

Aerrow leaned back with a moan.

_What to do?_

"Don't think too hard. You don't want to strain that incredible mind that got us all into this mess in the first place."

Aerrow didn't feel like talking, especially to respond to the Dark Ace's smart comments. The sky knight ignored him.

Dark Ace paced up to stand behind him. He snapped his fingers in front of Aerrow's face, shrugged, and then strutted off to stand before the bridge's window facing Menaphisiem. "And I thought the Storm Hawks were great."

"Don't blame them," Aerrow said bitterly. "Blame me."

Dark Ace looked back at him with an almost pitying expression. "Don't blame them? Well, if that excludes you, then that would leave the scrawny girl and the hotshot with half a brain."

"And Junko."

Dark Ace turned back. "Nah. The wallop's probably dead by now, since we abandoned him."

Aerrow opened one eye to glare at his enemy's back. "If you don't have anything useful to say, then why don't you go and jump off the edge of the terra? It'll save me one more thing on my 'to do' list!"

Dark Ace laughed. "And leave you four hopeless cases alone? Unlikely."

"Then help me think of something!" Aerrow shouted angrily. "Because apparently, since everyone's blaming me for this mess, I can't do it alone!"

"Don't flatter yourself," Dark Ace said grimly. "You can't do it at all."

Suddenly the alarms set off and the bridge went off in a dim red light show. Aerrow glared hatefully at the blinking lights. Even the alarm crystals were going out.

Lark, Radarr on her shoulder, rushed onto the bridge, Piper not far behind. "What? What's wrong?"

Aerrow lowered the periscope and peered into it. Dark Ace searched the landscape through the windows. Aerrow swiveled the periscope, turning it here and there.

Lark hefted her staff. "Anything?"

"Yeah, yeah!" Aerrow aimed it eastward. "There're several skimmers coming this way!"

Finn, his hair sticking out in odd angles, poked his head into the bridge sleepily. "Talons?"

"I… can't see!" Aerrow squinted hard. "The sun's just rising and they're just silhouettes!" He pushed the periscope aside and drew his energy blades, heading for the door. "Arm yourselves! Get ready to fight whoever's coming!"

Finn rubbed the back of his head bashfully and Piper and Dark Ace just stood there, looking lost. "Um… yeah. What arms? Only you and Lark have weapons."

Lark tipped the point of her staff toward him. "And I have no crystal. My frost shattered when we were fighting the Talons."

Aerrow paused to think before darting out the door. "Um… grab something! Anything that might hurt if you hit anybody with it!"

Piper picked up a length of torn pipe from the ground and smacked Finn on the arm. "Does that hurt?"

Aerrow skidded to a stop in a cloud of dust outside the ship, his blades glowing weakly. The skimmers were just folding up their wings to land on the terra's dry surface, still only dark shadows against the red eastern horizon.

Aerrow stood his ground. "Who are you?"

The figure on the lead skimmer stepped from the vehicle and approached Aerrow unsurely. "Aerrow? Is that really you?"

Aerrow blinked. "S-Starling?"

Starling stepped closer into view and the blinding sun was cut off. She gazed at Aerrow. "Aerrow, you look awful!"

Aerrow lowered his blades. "W-what are you doing here? I thought Menaphis got you for sure."

Starling looked past him as the others came rushing down the ramp. "I somehow escaped."

Piper stopped in her tracks at the sight of Starling and Finn smacked into her. "Starling!"

"I've been searching all these small terras all night for you," Starling said. "I was afraid that you were killed."

Dark Ace glared at her and Starling's own expression was less than friendly.

Aerrow began to speak, but she held up a hand to cut him off. "Explain later. Right now, we need to come up with a plan. Oh yeah," Starling turned to the other skimmers. Several others were standing behind her. "I brought some help whom I think you'll recall."

Lin and the other 'reserve Storm Hawks' from the Cyclonian cadet school smiled.

* * *

Junko heaved on the chain with all his might. The cavern was deserted save for him, finally giving him an opportunity to try out his wavering strength at breaking the extra extra extra thick chain thick enough to restrain two fully grown wallops. It was so heavy, Junko could barely lift it. Netherless he threw his weight against it, grunting and crying out as the manacle cut into his ankle. Not only that, but it was the one he had badly injured during their adventure on Terra Snowgra. 

His yells echoed in the empty room. Outside, the rolling thunder mocked his efforts by shaking the ground and sending him toppling. Time after time, Junko picked himself up and set back to tearing at the chain, the wall where it was attached, and the manacle. His hands were sweaty and bloody from repeated slips on the rough metal and his throat was as dry as a bone.

Scattered food, books, and water mixed together into one, big, sludgy mess under his stomping and tripping feet. He slipped and panted in the mess, one hand pulling on the chain and the other gripping at the stones that formed the floor. Sweat pored from his forehead into his eyes and mouth, filling his already clouded senses full of a salty scent. He was blinded with exhaustion.

Aerrow.

Piper.

Finn.

Radarr.

_Stork._

He kept hauling on the chain with all his will, his strength gone long ago. Tears leaked unnoticed from the corners of his eyes, his breath coming as heaving gasps. Finally, his heart fluttering weakly like a moth, the wallop collapsed. His mind went as black as his hopes.

* * *

_What's going on? Where am I?_

Junko opened his grey eyes. For a moment, everything was out of focus. It was bright, that was for sure, and colorful too.

He raised his head. No longer did his muscles ache, he was dry, and the floor beneath him was not stone. He looked around. It was the Condor's hanger.

All of the skimmers were perfectly in line, his on one end and Stork's Storkmobile on the other. They were clean and looked brand new.

Confused, Junko looked out the open hatch. Outside, it was sunset, the sun setting in a dazzlingly array of fiery red and purple in the west. Terra Wallop was far below, looking more vibrant and hostile than ever. His heart warmed at the sight of his home.

"What are you doing on the floor, Junko buddy?"

Junko rolled over and saw Finn standing at the doorway. His friend, his uniform no longer torn and his skin clean (or as clean as Finn could get), and his face smiled down at the wallop.

Junko gawked up at him. "Finn? Is it really you?"

"I think you had a nightmare, buddy!" Finn gestured him over. "Let's go bother Stork. He's extra pessimistic today!" He popped back inside.

Junko didn't move. He lay there on his back in the hanger, gazing at the unsoiled ship and trying to wrap his brain around the events.

_What happened? Where did Menaphisiem go? Stork's back? He's being pessimistic? What does pessimistic mean? _

_Was it all a dream?_

He got up and stepped toward the door leading to the bridge. Piper passed it, carrying a plate piled high with steaming sandcakes fresh from the oven. "Oh, hi Junko! Hurry up, dinner's almost ready! Oh yeah, will you tell Finn to quite pestering poor Stork?"

Junko grasped the door frame, looking inside. Everything looked in place; it was as if there had been no crash. Aerrow sat with his feet on the table top, reading a romance book upside down. Finn was flicking rubber bands at Stork's back, who was trying to ignore him and keep the Condor steady at the same time. Piper set the sandcakes at the table and went back to the kitchen.

Junko stepped timidly inside, looking around at the contents of the bridge as if they would blow up in his face at any time. He approached the controls, his fevered eyes on the back of Stork's head.

Finn glanced back at him, a rubber band at ready. "Hey, Junko. What the next shot?"

Junko walked around the guard rail to stand behind Stork, staring unsurely at the merb's neck.

"Junko, buddy, are you okay?" Finn asked, lowering the rubber band.

Junko reached out and hovered his hand over Stork's shoulder blade. The helmsman either didn't notice or ignored him. Junko took a baited breath and placed a finger on the merb's shoulder.

Menaphis burst into his face, tearing into him with curved fangs. Junko managed one shout to warn his friends, and then his vision was coated in red. He fell, his face wet, and his jaw hit a cold, hard ground.

* * *

His eyelids quivered slightly. His cheek rested on the stone floor, his raspy breath sending up little swirls of steam on the frost coated surface. Boy, was it cold. 

Junko slowly sat up, peeling his half frozen skin from the stones and blinking ice from his eyelashes. He was back in Menaphis' throne room, still chained, still bloody, still sweaty, and still in the middle of a mess of sludge.

The room fogged, but not as much as before. Junko stood. He was unsteady and faint, but at least he was on his feet.

The chain rattled as he took a shaky step toward the wall. What the half-dead wallop didn't notice was a human shaped foot print in the sludge, not far from the tire thick ring securing the chain to the wall. Metal shavings scattered the floor under the ring.

Junko blinked, not seeing the filed dent in the metal ring. He took up the rattling chain in one hand, turned and griped a floor stone weakly with the other.

Aerrow.

Piper.

Finn.

Radarr.

_Stork._

He yanked… and the chain snapped like string. Junko stumbled forward in surprise, the shattered shackles still in his fist. The wallop slowly straightened and stared dumbly at the broken end. He did it? But how? He was twice as weak before he fell asleep, but now he broke it on his first try? How?

There was no time for questions for the barely conscious wallop. Junko hurriedly glanced around the abandoned cavern before scrambling out the double doors.

He ran, gasps rising from his lungs. He slid around one corner down another hall. Junko had no idea where he was going, or what he would do once he was out. But what else was he going to do? Go back and just sit there for Menaphis to punish for attempting to escape?

Junko skidded to a stop. Up ahead, a gang of Talons had their backs to him, chattering with their enhanced striker staffs leaning lazily beside them. Junko darted down a narrow hall to his left. He came to an end and arrived to a long two way hall. One side had another gang of Talons, backs to him, but the other way was deserted. The wallop went that way.

Time and time again Junko came to hall after hall. Talons would be crowding one end, so Junko's confused and clouded brain automatically told him to go the other way. He stumbled blindly like a rat in a maze, herded like a lost sheep.

There was a small light ahead at the end of the dark hall. Junko slowed and pushed on the door softly. It opened, and Junko peered through.

It was the way out.

He was at the very bottom of the terra. More precisely, on a ledge overlooking the peaks jutting out of the mist serving as a moat around Terra Menaphisiem. (long sentence, sorry)

Junko looked over the edge of the ledge timidly. There was at least a fifty foot drop from where he was standing to where the mist began. Pass the mist, who knew how deep it went or what was waiting beneath.

Junko stepped back toward the door. He was trapped. The ledge was about fifteen yards in length and about thirty wide. Nothing was on it except some crumbling boulders and a few bushes. No, not bushes. Junko approached the clump and parted the dead branches. Inside, concealed not to well, was an old skimmer.

The wallop looked over his shoulder at the door, looked up, side to side, and then back to the skimmer. Was he just lucky, or was he being punked?

Junko pulled the skimmer from the bushes cautiously. The second the back wheel hit dirt, Junko pushed it away from him and leaped away, covering his head with both arms.

The skimmer toppled over on its side with a clang. No explosions, no confetti, no creepy circus clowns. Junko peered out from between his hands at it. It lay there innocently.

The wallop inched toward it, prodded it with his toe, and then recoiled as if it were a poisonous reptile ready to spring. Nothing.

Junko lowered his protective arms. "Oh."

A moment later, he drove the vehicle from the ledge's side and the wings unfolded. For a breathtaking second, the skimmer kept dropping, but then a storm driven gust of wind rushed beneath the rusted wings and he was swept away from Menaphisiem. Finally.

Junko leaned over the steering control eagerly, his grey eyes searching the skies for any sign of the Condor or any other skimmers. Only if he knew that, hidden cleverly between his right ear and his spiked hair, a tiny tracking device blinked softly.

Menaphis was always watching and listening.

* * *

Wow, this chapter is deep. I should be able to update soon. I have two weeks off from school! Falls on knees and cries in happiness. Finally! Maybe I can actually sleep now! Anyway, review and tell me how much you feel for the characters. From the reviews I got for the last chapter, I can tell you were a little shocked. Good. 


	30. The ones that are left

The ones that are left (lame title)

* * *

Aerrow watched as Starling slapped a large map flat onto the meeting table, straightening the corners and smoothing out the creases. They all crowded around it… except for Dark Ace. He stood back, leaning against the wall.

"I've done a lot of thinking on this, but I still have so many errors that could lead to instant disaster," Starling said regrettably. "I am open to suggestions. Everyone here is a Storm Hawk now, and, as much as I hate saying this, we are the only free people in the entire Atmos."

Starling looked around at the filthy, tired faces staring back at her with red rimmed eyes. "Menaphis succeeded in taking over Terra Tropica, the last free terra in Atmos. We're all that's left."

"So Menaphis has won," Aerrow said quietly.

Starling glanced at him, surprised at his comment. "N… no… at least, not for long. We're still here, and we're all that's left to oppose him. But that also means that, now that Menaphis has every terra and landmark under his control, he can take his attention off them and put all his forces into finding us. It's a good thing your ship crashed here. It's very difficult to find."

Piper sighed. "Just think. If the Condor failed and crashed just a little farther from this small crevice, we would be completely open to the entire Menaphisiem."

"And let's not do anything to attract them," Starling said gravely. "No more going outside this crevice, no bright crystals, and definitely no explosions."

Finn giggled. "Then Piper shouldn't cook anymore."

Piper elbowed him in the ribs.

Starling only glanced at them absent mindedly. "Seriously though. None of that. If we're found, Atmos is forever lost."

They all nodded, murmuring their agreement. Aerrow was silent.

"Alright then," Starling turned back to the map. "This is my plan."

"I will take the cadets to the other side of the Atmos. How we do that without recrossing terras, I don't know. We had a hard time coming here, let alone going back. But, over there, I have planted a geyser crystal deep within the heart of a large terra used largely by Menaphisiem for mining striker crystals. If we were to go there, blow it up, and fly around like flies, the Talons there would think they were under attack by a horde."

Lark raised a hand to gain her attention. "How? There's only a few of you."

"For one thing, the terra is covered in trees. The Talons are always mining in clearings, so, we would zip across the opening, turn around once we're out of sight, and then do it again. Our skimmers all look the same, so they won't notice. And plus, together with the rocking and crumbling of the terra after I explode the geyser crystal, Lynn has something that might help out."

Lynn held up a small control. "Aerrow, Piper, do you recognize this?"

Aerrow did, but he stayed silent. Piper spoke up. "Yeah, it's the control Snipe used to direct those skimmers we fought at the Talon academy."

"Yup," Lynn said proudly. "I went back, found it, and decided to keep it just in case. The skimmers directed by this are back at the mining terra, hidden well and ready to be used."

"That's so crazy," Piper said thoughtfully, rubbing her chin. "It's so crazy that it might just work!"

"That's what I'm hoping for!" Starling slid her index finger to the other end of the map to rest her nail on a picture of Cyclonia, now Menaphisiem. "If we make it big enough, then Talons will be rushing to help from here, all the way to here." She pointed again to the mining terra."

"With so many Talons out disguised as pirates and spread out on each terra, Menaphisiem would be nearly empty." Starling looked up. "That's were you, Aerrow, Dark Ace, Lark, Finn, Piper, and Radarr, come in."

"To go and settle it once and for all with Menaphis," Finn smacked his palm with his fist.

Starling leaned against the table and stared glumly at the map. "That's the idea, but I have no idea how you can do it. I have very little knowledge on the Wrath Crystal."

"Me and Lark researched like crazy on the crystal," Piper said, gesturing to a small pile of old books behind her on a chair. "It's not much, but they all say the same thing and I doubt any other book in Atmos says anything different. The Wrath Crystal is more powerful than any other and there is no known way on how to destroy one."

Aerrow had the small chunk of the wrath crystal he had recovered in Menaphisiem in his hand. It was a dull grey, cracked, and very cold to the touch. The very center was a light green; Stork. He was still alive, if barely.

Aerrow looked down at it. He felt so helpless. Starling had a plan, while he had none. He had led his loyal team to failure, and then she came and now she had taken over. It was for the best. He wouldn't have been able to help anyway. He was useless. A piece of trash.

Piper, Starling, and Lark talked excitedly about details, and Finn was engaged in a lesson from the cadets on how to work the control. Radarr balanced on the sharpshooter's shoulder, scratching his head as he tried to follow Lynn's directions. Dark Ace watched them. Aerrow stood by himself, gazing at the chunk of crystal. And then it came to him.

Starling turned to Aerrow's soft gasp. "Aerrow? You haven't said much. Is there something wrong?"

Aerrow turned to look at her. "Yes. I'm stupid."

They all gaped at him. "Wha?"

"I'll say," Dark Ace grunted.

He held up the chunk for them to see. "Yes! Stupid! Stupid that I haven't thought of this before! What is this?"

"Aerrow..?" Piper said gently. "Are you alright?"

Aerrow shook the chunk. "Right! A piece of the Wrath Crystal! And who tore this from the 'all powerful' Wrath Crystal?"

"Menaphis?" Finn offered.

"Right!" Aerrow pointed to him as he said it, his green eyes wide and his mouth open beyond maximum in a smile. "Menaphis is Stork twisted by the Wrath crystal! And he tore this off of the crystal itself to get rid of what's left of Stork within him! Him is the wrath crystal! As in the Wrath Crystal tore a piece from itself!"

Finn looked as if he understood what Aerrow was telling them, but the spark of intelligence on his face almost immediately disappeared. "Okay, what?"

Starling blinked. "…Yes…?"

Aerrow frowned. They didn't see it. "Okay, I take it back. We're all stupid!" He shook the chunk. "Menaphis _tore _this from the Wrath Crystal! There's no known way to destroy it because everyone has been looking at it the wrong way! We can't destroy it, but…"

"… He can!" Piper finished. "The Wrath Crystal in Stork's twisted physical form! He's powerful enough to destroy it, or, himself!"

Starling stroked her chin. "Yes… you're right, Aerrow. But how?"

Aerrow was beginning to feel a little better about himself. The sky knight smiled down at the tiny spark of green within the chunk. "With the help of a friend who can work from the inside!"

* * *

Junko was lost. The wallop had flown from empty terra to terra in broad daylight, pure luck saving him from being seen by the Talons and incoming 'pirate' ships.

"Oh, come on!" He hissed, hovering behind a small peak as a Talon flew by barely a length from him. Junko glanced hastily around the corner and then zipped as fast as the old skimmer could go to the next small landmark. He didn't even know why he was fooling around with them. They were tiny, not even big enough to call a terra, much less hide a carrier ship the size of the Condor. But some hidden instinct kept Junko searching.

The wallop drove the skimmer in vehicle mode around the terra's length, praying feverishly that no Talons would come his way as he did.

There was nothing out of the ordinary on the terra. Junko heaved a raspy sigh and changed the skimmer back to wing mode. The vehicle's old metal moaned in protest, but obeyed. Junko glided from that terra to the next. Nothing.

A movement out of the corner of the wallop's eye caused him to twist around in his seat and look up. A Talon on a sleek skimmer was heading right in his direction. With speed surprising for his size and condition, Junko flipped his vehicle onto its side and him with it, skidding to a rest beside a boulder. He shut his eyes tightly, knowing that he was in plain sight.

The skimmer passed right over him.

What? Junko opened one eye a slit and watched the Talon soar away toward Menaphisiem. How could he not have seen him? Was the freak'n Talon _blind?_

No matter. Junko threw a glance over his shoulder, straightened his skimmer, and took off so fast, the back wheel left a black mark on the rocky surface.

All awhile, the small device behind his ear blinked.

* * *

Aerrow sat on his skimmer in the Condor's dark, stuffy hanger. He turned one of his energy blades over to check the blue crystal set in its hilt. It was dark. He tossed it over his shoulder, unstrapped the other one, and tossed that one too.

"Problems with your weapons?" Starling walked up to him.

Aerrow fiddled around with his skimmer's speedometer. "No, I have a problem with the fact that we have no crystals."

"Sorry, I can't help you with that," Starling said grimly. "The cadets and I barely have enough crystal power to keep us going. My nunchucks are almost out of juice."

He slipped off the seat to the vehicle's side. "My skimmer has just enough to get us to Menaphisiem. How I get back, I dunno. Have you guys come up with a way to get to the mining terrra?"

Starling frowned. "No. It looks like we're just going to have to fly on the fuel we have and hope we make it. If we don't run out of fuel, then we'll probably get picked off my Menaphisiem's terras. It's impossible to avoid every single one on a route to the other side of Atmos."

"What about disguises? We don't have any chroma crystals, but wigs and make up are just as good."

Starling rubbed the back of her neck. "Well… it seems… that Menaphis is one step ahead of us. He's got wanted posters of us all over the place and trap beasts have our scent just about everywhere."

Aerrow stopped tightening a lugnut to look up at her. "How does he have our scent?"

"Merbs have extremely sensitive noses. I guess he memorized our scents and… I dunno really. He's smart."

"Really smart," Aerrow said bitterly. "That's what's making this so difficult." He rubbed absent mindedly at his chin, leaving a black smear of grease. "Did you ask Dark Ace?"

"Dark Ace? What for?" Starling seemed surprised.

"His teleportation crystal."

Starling put her hands on her hips. "Dark Ace has a teleportation crystal? He certainly hasn't told us!"

Aerrow grunted. "He didn't tell us either until the last second when we were surrounded on all sides and facing certain death."

Starling twirled around and marched stiffly toward the bridge door. "That no-good sniveling side-burn monkey! I'm going to teach him a lesson that'll keep him from sleeping for a year!"

Aerrow gave his skimmer one last swipe with a rag and stood back. Despite his care, it still looked like a duck-taped scrap heap. It would be a miracle if he could even get it airborn again.

A yell brought him running to the bridge. Starling held Dark Ace by his collar, his feet dangling a foot from the ground.

She shook him amid Finn's laughter. "Cough up that teleportation crystal now, or I'll hang you by your sideburns on my skimmer and fly over the wastelands!"

Dark Ace kicked free and hastily put the meeting table between him and the angry lady with nunchucks.

"My teleportation crystal is all I have left from Cyclonia," Dark Ace said angrily. "It's for emergencies only!"

Starling pointed a blazing nunchuck at him. "This is sort of an emergency, now isn't it? You don't consider saving Atmos and your Cyclonia as a mission worthy enough to use your precious crystal?"

"A trip across the entire Atmos would shatter it!"

Starling spat. "Too bad! Hand it over or I'll take it from your cold, dead body!"

Dark Ace appeared startled. Piper, Finn, Aerrow, and Radarr stared at Starling. Lark sighed and rubbed her tired eyes. "Dark Ace, just give it to her. I know it's an extremely rare crystal, but I'll sure you could find another one."

"Yeah," Finn grunted. "Go steal one from Atmosia."

Dark Ace grudgingly held out the little blue crystal. Starling swiped it from his hand and tossed it to Lynn. Turning her back on him, she deactivated her nunchucks.

Lark timidly stood between them. "Alright, now that we have that cleared out, what are we going to do for weapons? I don't think we can defend ourselves very well with lengths of twisted engine pipes."

Lynn and the cadets emptied their pockets.

"We have some cooking crystals, some spiky spuds, and a bunch of stinky cactus weed that Josh found," one said.

They all stared at the pitiful pile on the table. Beside it, the chunk of crystal containing Stork glowed dimmly. Finn turned away. "Yup, we're doomed."

Piper looked over her shoulder at him as he walked away. "Where are you going?"

"I'm going to stuff myself until I can't move. If I'm going to die, I at least want to be full." He stopped and stared out a shattered window.

"I though you meant to stuff yourself with food, not scenery," Lark said.

Finn didn't move.

"Finn?"

Finn grasped the window frame and gazed intently outside, squinting hard in the darkness of the crevice. Suddenly he sprang across the bridge in great leaps and scrambled for the door. "Omgosh, that's Junko!"

"Junko?" All but Dark Ace rushed after him.

* * *

Junko slumped on his skimmer. His vision swam and he was so numb, he no longer felt the pain clutching his body like a vice. Everything was blurry, he couldn't keep his balance. The terra he was on felt unsteady; was the ground moving or was he? Before he knew it, his cheek was pressing against the rock ground and the heavy skimmer was on top of him. He couldn't move. He was too tired.

A shout reached the semi-conscious wallop, but he didn't realize it. His sight became dark. Something cold, like a finger, touched his shoulder and he faintly remembered being rolled over on his back. The weight from the skimmer disappeared and dim faces knelt over him. Junko squinted. Was that Finn?

Darkness enveloped him, and he knew no more.

* * *

Sorry it's so short and that it took me so long to update. Christmas, shopping, and when I typed up the first few pages, I had completely forgotten about dark ace and lark. My bad. Anyhoo, review and I promise that the next chapter will be much better. 


	31. Chapter 30

Sorry, i couldn't think of a title for this chapter. I will put one in if i get some suggestions.

* * *

That night was cold; dreadfully, agonizingly cold. There was not a sign of stars in the dark sky; it was coated in black clouds from west horizon to the east, from the south to the north. The very few birds who dared to sing around the accursed place of Menaphisiem were silent, perhaps even flown away in terror. There was an eerie buzz in the air. It was as if Atmos (now Menaphisiem) was holding its breath, waiting for something to happen.

Aerrow stood at a window facing the dark terra, watching red lightning crisscross the sky all around them like an omen to all those around to prepare for Menaphis' move. Atmos would never be completely under his control until he held the very last living soul. Aerrow rubbed his chilled arms, feeling his cold skin through the rips and tears in his sleeves. What hope he felt the day before was ebbing away with Junko's sudden arrival. He felt once again useless.

Piper walked wearily onto the bridge, saw him, and stopped. "Oh, sorry." She turned to go.

Aerrow turned and stopped her. "It's alright. You can stay."

She came back. "Thanks. You sure?"

"Why not?"

Piper blushed. "It's… uh… just that… you haven't not been yourself lately."

Aerrow grunted. "None of us have. We've all changed over the last few months." He turned back to the window to witness a blinding flash as a lightning bolt hit the ledge above the crevice. Dust and rock rained down, but the Condor stayed steady.

Piper rested her folded arms on the window ledge, placing her chin on them. "It's amazing that, just a couple months ago, we had barely any worries that a bunch of dumb Talons, the Dark Ace, and Cyclonis' plans. Now we smart Talons, pirates, traps, and Menaphis. Where are the brave and courageous sky knights who vowed to protect Atmos with their lives?"

Aerrow shrugged. "Either joined up with Menaphis or imprisoned at Terra Zartacla with 'Mr. Moss'. Either way, we're all that's left.

Piper heaved a great sigh. "That's what I can't get over."

Aerrow gave her a sideways glance and rubbed his neck awkwardly. "Sorry," he mumbled.

Piper looked up in surprise. "What? What for?"

He looked away. "I haven't been a very good leader. Ever since we crashed on Terra Snowgra, I've been a little afraid that my leadership skills are… lame. But now that I've allowed my helmsman become a twisted, evil mastermind that took over the very world that I swore to defend, I've become terrified. I don't know what to do. I feel like quitting."

"Oh, Aerrow," Piper sighed softly, turning his head toward her gently. "A bad leader is one who quits, and I know that the Aerrow I know would never do that. We're all having the same problem. Maybe not the same as yours, but in our own way. You're not alone, and I will not quit until the last breath in my body expires if you don't."

Aerrow studied her face. She was exhausted. Under each of her eyes were a deep purple and they were swollen from the lack of sleep. She was bruised, her uniform was ragged, and she was thinner, but the same glint of determination shined brighter than ever in her orange eyes.

Piper's eyebrows rose. "So, do you want to keep going?"

Aerrow never realized she had a small freckle at the right corner of her lip. He opened his mouth. "I do."

Just as he said that, Finn happened to walk in. He stopped as if he hit a wall and stood stiffly, staring at them.

Piper and Aerrow looked over at him, noticed how close their faces were, and recoiled into their own personal bubbles. Aerrow's face was burning.

Finn put up his hands and began to slowly back away. Aerrow stepped toward him. "Oh, c'mon Finn. It's not what you think."

"What? I didn't see _anything_! I have no idea what you're talking about!" Finn whirled and ran back where he came. "Leave me alone! I won't be your best man! I want no part of whatever you're doing!"

"Finn!" Aerrow started after him, but Piper caught his arm.

"Leave him be, Aerrow," Piper said. "By the end of the day, he'll forget all about it."

"Right." Then came the self-conscious, awkward, uncomfortable silence.

Aerrow looked down at his toes. "So… how's Junko?"

Piper became herself again. "He's bleeding pretty badly around his ankle and his hands, but those are the only injuries. He's dehydrated, starving, and just plain tired." After this, she couldn't help but yawn. "Ugh, so am I."

"Then get some sleep. I don't think there's much to do for now anyways."

Piper rubbed her heavy eyes. "Can't. I'm helping Starling. She's working out details, but so far hasn't come up with anything with more than a twenty percent chance of actually succeeding."

Aerrow's hand went absent mindedly to his pocket and felt the hard surface of the small chunk of Wrath Crystal. Stork was still there, small as ever in the center. Wait… was it warmer?

He took it out, feeling it. The chunk was warmer!

Piper looked from him to the crystal. "What is it?"

"Feel!" Aerrow shoved the crystal at her. She gingerly touched it with her index finger and her eyebrows shot up in surprise. "It's warm!" He suddenly flinched. "Owch! Hot! Hot! Hot!"

He hurriedly ran to the meeting table and set it down, blowing on his fingers. Together, Piper and Aerrow knelt to stare at the pulsating green spark. It flickered expressively.

"Stork?" Aerrow studied the spark.

A very, very faint face appeared on the unscarred side of the chunk. "Ae-ow! p-r! H-ry!"

The face faded, and then came back weakly. "Me-phis… he –ows wh-e you –re! G- -t!"

Stork flickered. Piper's fingers twitched as if to grab the crystal, but she held herself back. The chunk was practically steaming with heat. "Stork! Stork! Wait!"

He vanished. The small green spark became a barely distinguishable speck the size of a grain of sand.

Aerrow and Piper looked at each other.

"Um… guys?" Lark came in. She held up something pinched between her thumb and index finger. "Guess what I found behind Junko's right ear."

It was a tracking device, small and the same color as the wallop's skin. It blinked rapidly and blew apart. Lark leaped back in shock. The little pieces clattered to the floor, but the damage was done. Menaphis was coming for them.

Aerrow stood, his eyes hard and his mouth set in a firm line. Piper looked fearfully up at him. "Where are you going?"

"To Starling. We can't waste time here." He walked toward the hallway. "Pack as much as your stuff as you can carry. Tell Finn and Dark Ace to do the same. We're leaving in five minutes."

"Right!" The two girls ran off.

Starling looked up from the map in surprise as Aerrow burst in. "Aerrow? I'm sorry, I don't have- "

Aerrow cut her off. "Menaphis knows we're here. We're leaving. Whatever plan you have so far, it's what we're going to have to do with."

Starling gaped up at him, and then slowly looked back down at the map. "Now? But so much could go wrong!"

Aerrow bent down to stare eye to eye. "Hey. We're the Storm Hawks, remember?"

Starling gazed hard back at him. A slow smile crept onto her lips. Aerrow was back. "Of course. How silly of me to forget."

Four minutes later, they stood in two half-circles; Starling and the Cadets on one side, and the 'Talon Hawks' on the other. Junko stood supported by Dark Ace and Finn.

Starling switched the small, blue teleportation crystal to her left hand and held out her right to Aerrow. "We'll be counting on you to get in there and do your job."

Aerrow took it. "And we'll be counting on you to do yours. Good luck, and don't say that luck won't have anything to do with this one."

Starling gripped it, and then released it. "Alright, luck has everything to do with it, and hopefully it'll save our home."

There was no more time for words. Starling held the teleportation crystal high over her head and the cadets held hands. Lynn touched Starling's arm, the crystal flashed a bright blue, and they were gone. Outside, thunder rolled.

Aerrow turned toward the hanger bay. "Alright, let's go. We'll go and find another hiding spot. Let's just hope our skimmers don't stall and crash."

"I hate crashing," Finn grumbled. "Especially on an empty stomach."

"Sorry, Finn," Piper said over her shoulder as she followed after Aerrow. "Radarr ate the last of our rations."

Radarr scuttled onto Aerrow's shoulders at Finn's hungry glance. He hugged his master's head tightly, whimpering.

Outside, Black clouds swirled low above Menaphisiem like the funnel of a hurricane.

* * *

Menaphis slumped on his throne, his sharp chin resting on his chest. Veins stood out like wires on his body, his limbs trembling in agony. Repton and his brothers knelt with their heads bowed before their master.

"Master Menaphis, we regret that we were not with you when the Storm Hawks and the two former Cyclonians invaded your realm." Repton gritted his teeth angrily. "I would make those worms pay with my bare hands!"

Luegy spoke up too. "Yah, wif owr bawr hands!"

Hoerk whapped him on the back of the head. "Shut up, you big baby."

Ignoring Luegy's cry, Repton stood and slowly, carefully placed a small, yellow crystal on the throne's armrest. "We managed to recover a powerful healing crystal. It may not rid you of your pain all the way, but it can relieve you a bit up to four hours at a time."

Menaphis' trembling fingers caressed the crystal weakly. "Good, Repton. Go now, report to Ravess and Snipe that you're back and get a hot meal. Stay and do what you want for the next two days, and then head back out. Oh, and tell Stajj to come up here."

"Your wish is my command." Two full days of easy living. Repton smiled. He was an idiot to go with Cyclonis when all she offered was to not destroy his terra. Repton bowed and headed for the cavern's door, followed by his three brothers.

Menaphis remained still until he heard the door shut and the raptors' footsteps fade. The tip of his tail twitched restlessly. He stood and paced around his throne to stand before the giant window that formed the back wall of the cavern.

Menaphis stared out at one of the tiny terrras surrounding his domain. There, somehow hidden from his sight, was the Condor and his most hated enemies; the Storm Hawks. Oh, how he longed to sink his claws into the heart of their leader and feel the satisfying warmth on his fingers as he slowly, painfully bled to death in front of his idiotic teammates! That would teach them! That and a few decades locked up deep in his terra's dungeon!

His burning eyes narrowed at the tiny terra in the distance. Junko would have reached them by now. Very soon, his Talons would sweep through the terra and bring them all back to him in chains. They would probably be starving, cold, and Menaphis knew that at least three of them were suffering from old injuries that were reopened. They would be in pain, terrible, terrible pain.

The dragon-like master of Menaphisiem gazed out the window, still clutching the healing crystal in his claws. Suddenly he destroyed the diamond hard gem with one furious burst of energy and shook the shards at the terra, shouting at the top of his voice, "Here, have something to relieve that pain of yours, Storm Hawks! You'll need a dozen more when I get my claws on you! I'll rip you all limb from limb! No one will be able to distinguish who you are from your remains!"

Outside the throne room, guarding the door, a Talon looked at another Talon. "Fred, do you hear something?"

His companion shook his head. "No George."

They became silent as a tall man came strutting up the hallway. He brushed past them and pushed open the doors without a word.

The Talon looked at his companion. "Do you know who that is, George?"

The other Talon shook his head. "No Fred."

Menaphis shook the yellow pieces of the crystal from his claws as Stajj entered. The tall man walked right up to the throne and bowed deeply. "You sent for me, master?"

"Yes," Menaphis said, walking around his throne to sit in it again. "Are all of the Talons loyal to me, Stajj?"

Stajj looked up at his master. "Why… yes, master. You have doubts, sir?"

Menaphis snorted. "Doubts? No, but I've been thinking. How old am I?"

Stajj thought carefully about his answer. It could determine wither he lived or died. "Old enough to rule Menaphisiem, sire."

"I'm sixteen," Menaphis said scornfully. "Have you heard any Talons, anyone, complaining about being ruled by a teenager?"

Stajj shook his head. "No, master."

"You call me master, but do you really, truly feel that way? Do you have any doubt who is your master?"

Once again, Stajj shook his head. "Absolutely none, master!"

"No doubts at all?"

Stajj stood, his eyes hard. "Master, I would follow you to my death if necessary. I and my squadron are completely loyal to you and to no other. If I may ask, sire, why all the sudden questions? Atmos is yours!"

"Not yet, but it will once my Talons come back with the Storm Hawks. Stajj, you would never, ever betray or question my orders?"

Stajj laughed at the idea. "Absolutely not, sire! I am yours to command!"

"Good," Menaphis crooned. "Then you are just the man I want."

Stajj bowed. "What are your orders, my master?"

"Stand up straight and close your eyes. You won't regret it."

Stajj did as he was bidden. Menaphis' tail snaked out to a shadowed corner of his room and brought out the Wrath Crystal. It gleamed evilly as it touched Menaphis' claws and became even brighter as the master awoke it from its sleep. The wrath crystal sensed its prey. Menaphis steered its searching energy toward Stajj, and it drew in the man's scent. Outside, brownish clouds joined the black ones swirling above. The wrath crystal was ready to eat. Stajj flinched, but did not open his eyes or move. He had his orders. The reddish haze rising from the stone was already touching him. Soon it completely enveloped him.

Stajj's shriek could be heard all around Menaphisiem. Outside the throne room, the two Talons pressed their hands to their ears, trying to shut out the horrible sound.

"Do you hear that, Fred?"

"Yes I do, George!"

* * *

A mile from Menaphisiem, the small terra which contained the Condor in its crevice was overrun with Talons. At the head of the group was Captain Runn, now General Runn. The young man was enjoying his new found power immensely. He stood with one hand on his new broad sword as his Talons charged at the carrier ship wreckage with their energy staffs drawn. He could imagine the pleased look on his master's face already when Menaphis saw him and his team drag in the hated Storm Hawks and the two former Cyclonian dogs.

The lead Talon blasted the ship's door open and they swarmed in two at a time. General Runn smiled. He was going to be one rich man.

A Talon squeezed out of the ship against the flow of incoming Talons and jogged toward the general. "General Runn! General Runn!"

General, run? Runn glanced around for danger and took off running as fast as he could for his skimmer. The Talon ran after him. "General Runn! There's no one inside! The ship's abandoned!"

Oh, that kind of general run. Runn stopped and made a fake kick at his skimmer. "Sorry, I thought I saw a, uh, sparking wire on here. Nope, it's all good."

The Talon gestured at the ship with his spear. "Sir, what now?"

General Runn stared unhappily at the ship. The Storm Hawks, gone? What about his reward and his master's happiness? He was about to speak when the drone of a long skimmer approached him.

A Talon pulled his skimmer into a hover above the general and the Talon and shouted hurriedly down to them, "Master Menaphis says to come right back! There's a huge attack on one of our mining terras on the other side of Menaphisiem Atmos! We're all needed!"

General Runn couldn't believe his luck. If he could hang around on the opposite end of the land, then maybe Menaphis would forget about them. "Right! Tell Menaphis we'll be right there!"

He turned to the confused Talons crowded around the abandoned ship. "Alright, you lot. Back to your skimmers and board the nearest ship! We're needed to fight!"

Runn mounted his skimmer to lead his Talons off, but his vehicle suddenly coughed smoke and he was left behind as the others took off. Puzzled, he peered down at the gears. There was a sparking wire.

* * *

O…M…G. 200 reviews! Unreal! It's too bad it won't go over that, but I'll keep going anyways. Review! Part 3 isn't too far away! 


	32. Face to Face part 1

Face to Face part 1

Sorry about the wait, but I think I made this long enough to satisfy you. This is the second to the last chapter, so I tried to make it good. You'll all hate me at end though. Review, and remember, no cool character will die!

Most of Menaphis' troops were out. His terra was nearly sucked dry of defense against attack from the Storm Hawks. All this Menaphis knew, but who needed a bunch of over confident humans with energy staffs that couldn't hit a wall if it was in front of them? Menaphis could handle them himself, so he waited. He waited in anticipation, his claws yearning to sink into their flesh and his ears craving the sounds of their horrified screams.

He quickly shook the thoughts from his mind before he was worked up into a frenzy. A small string of reddish drool dripped from his fearsome jaws as he leaned back in his throne. He would wait.

Aerrow perched on the peak of one of the spines half submerged in mist at the base of Menaphisiem. He watched from his position as countless ships and skimmers took off from the terra's hanger bay and soared off westward. Menaphisiem was all theirs.

The sky knight slid down the spine's length. His skimmer leaned against it on a small crack in the cold stone. He hopped onto it and took off, flying toward the huge terra casting its mammoth shadow.

Piper waved to him as he came closer. "Aerrow! Over here!"

Aerrow saw her and steered his skimmer in for a landing on the ledge. Piper moved aside and he skidded onto the ground. Just as he did, the front wheel popped off and the skimmer flipped.

Aerrow was flung off and smacked into the rocks. His fingers instinctively locked onto the rough stone, but they slipped and he fell to land on his head, his backside propped up on the rocks and his feet dangling over his face.

Piper rushed to him. Aerrow gave her a thumbs up. "It's all good."

She couldn't help but smile.

"Did Menaphis go with them?" She asked as she helped him up.

Aerrow flinched, rubbing his spine. "Owch. Oh, no, I didn't. If he did, then he's in one of the ships. There's a good chance he's still in here."

Piper waved up at the hanger bay suspended high above them. A rope dropped down and she caught the end. "Let's hope he is." She offered the rope to him. "Want to go first?"

Aerrow bent his head back to look up. "Uh… ladies first!"

"Chicken." Piper rubbed some dirt on her palms and began scaling up the rope. A lone chicken, pecking lazily at the rocks for crickets, shot her a dirty look.

Aerrow followed her after she was some feet ahead. He gripped the rough twine and pulled himself up, stopping his sway with his feet braced against the rock. Alright, this wasn't so bad. He pulled himself up another few feet and his stomach did a somersault. Ugh, he was wrong.

Piper looked down over her shoulder at him. His eyes were squeezed shut and he was still. "Aerrow? Can't handle the heights?"

"I can handle the heights fine! I've flown twice as high as this!" He called back. "It's the swaying that I can't take!"

"Just think of it like a playground swing!" She turned back and continued upwards.

Aerrow stared unhappily at the ledge a few meters below him. "I hate playground swings."

Despite this, he carried on. By the time they were halfway there, he was beginning to enjoy the view (and no, not the view of Piper's rear). Sure, Menaphisiem's fog filled moat with needle sharp peaks and the sad, grey terras in the distance weren't the best scenery, but he liked the empty, airy feeling.

Piper looked down at him. "How are you doing?"

"I'm getting used to it!"

Aerrow stopped and rested his shoulder on the rope, peering past Piper. "Hey, Piper?"

"Yeah?"

He pointed. "Does Menaphisiem have any big birds?"

Piper turned to look. "No, I don't-aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!"

It wasn't a bird. It wasn't anything in particular. Whatever it was struck Piper head on, knocking her clean off the rope. Aerrow grasped the rope with one hand and managed to catch her ankle as she plummeted by. She gasped in terror, hanging by one foot upside down over hundreds of feet of nothing.

"Aerrow! It's coming back!"

Aerrow looked up from his friend to see the thing circle back toward them. Now that it wasn't against the sun (or rather, what was visible of the sun), he could actually see what it was.

It looked like the combination of a Fawngo, a Kinkee, and a human with huge stork wings. The strange creature beat its powerful wings and outstretched its hands tipped with wicked talons. Its feet kicked at the air with large sharp hooves. Its mouth was twisted in a sneer and its eyes were blazing as it hit Aerrow like a bullet.

Aerrow felt Piper take hold of the rope below him and he released her ankle to grab a handful of grimy feathers. His vision was filled with beating wings and the thing's chest as it ripped into him with its claws. The sky knight's blood boiled. He hadn't come this far to be beaten by a bird. Releasing the feathers, he balled his hand into a fist and struck the thing where he was sure the head was.

His aim was true. The creature squawked and let go of him, but it didn't go far. It swept the air with its giant wings to Aerrow's other side and attacked him there. Aerrow fought to turn around, but his jolting weight, together with Piper's and the creature's pushes, caused the rope to swing from side to side. All he could do was grip the vaulting rope as the thing dug its talons into his back.

A rock hit the thing on the side of its head. It screeched and tore its claws free of its victim's back. Piper chucked another stone she had pried loose from the wall of rock and it smacked into the thing's stomach. Aerrow seized his chance and kicked off from the wall. The swinging rope carried him away from the creature, stopped, and then he threw his weight to the side, bringing him and Piper rocketing toward it. His outstretched foot caught the creature in the chest and he let out a whoop as it careened up and out, and then down to disappear far, far, far below into the fog moat. A shriek echoed, only to be abruptly silenced. There were needle sharp spikes jutting out from the fog, but there were some inside too.

Aerrow held onto the rope with a death grip as the rope slowly stopped swinging. Piper hauled herself up until her head was level with his foot. "Aerrow?"

"I'm fine." He put out a foot and stopped them against a boulder sticking out from the wall.

Piper recoiled as a large drop of blood dropped past her from the sky knight.

"Hey down there!" It sounded like Finn. "What are you, some serious Storm Hawks or a bunch of screaming monkeys swinging around? What the heck are you doing?"

"We'll be right there!" Aerrow called back. He set his teeth together and pulled himself up each agonizing foot. Piper grimly followed. (I bet she enjoyed the view too!)

Finally Aerrow reached the dock. Junko put out a hand and he grasped it. The wallop pulled him up like a doll and then helped Piper up. Dark Ace ran an eye over Aerrow. "Whoa. What happened to you?"

Finn plucked a bloodied feather from Aerrow's back. "Did you get attacked by some mutated birds?"

"Yes, actually…" Piper panted. She shivered. "One, big, ugly one with big claws."

Lark gasped. "Really? What happened?"

Aerrow fell to one knee and rubbed his hand up and down his spine. He felt the deep scratches where the twisted creature's talons scored home. "It doesn't matter. Let's just hope no one else besides us heard it."

Finn laughed. "The sounds echoed all over the terra. Someone standing miles away could have heard that!"

Aerrow forced himself to his feet. "Then we better hurry inside."

They ran, occasionally throwing glances over their shoulders in case any Talons or any more twisted bird things were sneaking after them.

Aerrow glanced over his shoulder at the wallop running not far behind him. "Finn, how's Junko?"

Finn took Junko's elbow and angled him the right direction as the wallop began to run sideways. "Doing better. He can't think right, but we're hoping he'll clear up after a while."

Lark scrambled over a boulder and placed a hand against the castle's side, panting. "There. Dark Ace, can you remember where that small door is?"

Dark Ace crouched, peering hard at the base. He took a few more steps, and then booted at a crack. The small door slowly opened, its tiny hinges squeaking. Dirt piled up against it fell in with a plop and shattered on the old, dusty floor. "Hop in."

Lark shuddered as she stepped in with Dark Ace's help. "Ugh, I think this place is even creepier than the first time."

Dark Ace bent down to avoid the low ceiling and led the way. "Let's just be grateful that Menaphis hasn't found this yet. Or, he knows and is letting us in on purpose."

"So that he can rip us to shreds," Finn muttered from the back. He shut the door and the entire tunnel became as black as a well.

"Auugh! I can't see!"

"Owch! Ow!"

"Whoop!"

"Move it!"

"Gaw… who smells?"

"Stop touching me!"

"Screeeeeeeeeeech!"

"Sorry Radarr, was that your tail?"

Dark Ace blew on a small light crystal to activate it and held it up. The others were in a pile and, of course, Aerrow was at the bottom (again). The sky knight strained to lift Junko from off him. "If no one heard the bird thing, then they definitely heard that."

"I'll say," Dark Ace snapped. "Can't you idiots show at least a little stealth?" He took one step, and then the ground under their feet (or faces) was gone. They plummeted downward into the inky blackness. Aerrow's fingers momentarily touched the edge, but his weight carried him down, down, down….

… Until he landed on Finn at the bottom. His head snapped up from the impact and his teeth clacked together. Finn leaped up and bowled the sky knight over. "Auuuuuuuuuuuuugh! It's Menaphis!"

Immediately everyone froze besides a small moan from Junko. Nothing moved. Piper narrowed her eyes at the serpent-like shape in the blackness. "That's not Menaphis. What is that?"

Finn reached out to touch it, but Aerrow caught his wrist, restraining his curiosity. "Finn, remember what happened last time you pulled on something?"

Finn's stomach growled, and he grudgingly pulled it back. Dark Ace found his dimmed light crystal on the floor, surprisingly still in one piece. He rubbed it against his uniform and it glowed faintly. He aimed it at the serpent shadow.

It was a dummy. A broken barrel served at a head and the rest was a bunch of intertwined blankets. The head was propped up by a small wire attached to the ceiling, rearing it up like a snake… or the neck of a dragon.

Finn boldly poked it. "Ha! I knew it all along! How could you guys fall for such a dumb trick?"

"What the heck is that doing here?" Piper pulled it down with one tug. The broken barrel head clattered harmlessly to the floor and the neck of twisted sheets coiled over it. "Is there a point to this or were some Talons very bored?"

"Doesn't matter," Dark Ace snapped. He flattened himself against the wall and edged to the corner of the only hallway leading out of the room. He took a quick peek and ducked back. Then he peered again, his tensed shoulders relaxed, and he stepped right out into view of whatever could be hidden in the hall. "This must be a joke. What is he doing?"

Lark joined him and stared down the empty hallway leading right back to the ledge where Aerrow and Piper had first landed. A boulder that was concealing the exit was rolled aside. Aerrow's smoking vehicle could be seen lying on its side not far from the open exit. It was drizzling.

"Menaphis doesn't joke," Aerrow said grimly. He felt along the walls. "He's giving us one last chance to turn back. There must be another way out of this room." His hand detected a small dent in the hard packed soil. "Got it!"

Dark Ace looked at the dent closely. "Yes, it's definitely a concealed door, but poorly hidden. I don't remember this being here."

Junko stood off to one side, rubbing his bruised head. His senses were beginning to return to him and he looked around, puzzled. Where was he? What was happening? Why was it so dark? "Finn?"

Finn turned from helping wipe away filth from the concealed door and noticed the wallop looking right at him. "Junko? How are you feeling, buddy? Are you thinking right now?"

Junko shook his head, blinking hard. "Where…"

Finn touched his arm, reassuring him. "We're inside Menaphisiem right now, trying to get through that door." He pointed. Dark Ace and Aerrow brushed off the last of the dirt to reveal a steel, round door. It was bolted to what appeared to be a metal tunnel behind it. "Can you open it for us, buddy?"

Junko drew a cold, clammy hand across his fogged eyes and stepped unsteadily forward. "Right." He lost his footing and stumbled toward the door.

Dark Ace and Aerrow barely made it out of the way before Junko slammed into the steel. His fingers automatically clamped onto the door's side and ripped it open with one furious burst of energy. The wallop staggered back with the door in his hands.

They all gaped at him. "Wow."

Junko's legs trembled and he dropped the door. "Oops."

Finn laughed nervously and steered his half-conscious friend toward the other wall. "Junko, buddy, just sit here and take a nice, long, relaxing nap. We'll come back to you when our business here is done. Sound good?"

Junko wearily nodded, and was asleep before he even sat on the floor.

Aerrow glanced down at Radarr. "Radarr, why don't you stay with him in case he wakes up?" Radarr nodded.

Finn left his friend leaning against the rock wall and followed the others as they silently slipped into the dark steel tunnel and was gone.

"Oh, now this is a joke!" Dark Ace said angrily as he crawled after Aerrow on his hands and knees blindly through the dark.

"Owch!" Finn whammed his head on the tunnel's low ceiling. "It's a good thing Junko didn't come. I can barely fit!"

Aerrow, in the lead, kept scrapping his hands and knees on the tunnel's rough metal floor. "Dark Ace, do you have any idea where this leads to?"

"I've never know about this tunnel's existence until now," Dark Ace snapped. The former Cyclonian's temper was not helped by the constant stumbling and anxiety.

Aerrow felt the side of the tunnel with one hand as he crawled along. "I don't feel much filth, much less spider webs or rust."

There was a _thunk_, followed by a groan from Finn. "Whoever built this was too lazy to put in lights. They could have at least padded the ceiling. Ow!"

"Then keep your head down," Piper hissed irritably from behind him.

The tunnel appeared smaller and smaller as they went along. They were soon forced from a crawl to pushing themselves along on their stomachs.

Aerrow dragged his weary body onward inch by inch in the cold steel tunnel. It was so dark, the sky knight couldn't see his arms as he used them to lever himself forward. He was completely blind to what was ahead of them. His stomach was sore and red from the coarse metal floor and he could feel his uniform wearing thin from the constant drag.

After a while, he felt his stomach grow cold, even colder than the rest of his body. He quickly swept a hand over his belly and found it damp.

Water dripped onto his head. He looked up and another big drop burst in his eyes from the roof. A few more feet and water swished around him.

"Aerrow?" Piper asked from far behind. Her voice shook from the cold and it sounded very tired. "Why did you stop? Is there something wrong?"

Aerrow shook a hand in the puddle he lay in. The swishing sounds echoed up and down and side to side. "Hear that? There's water up ahead. It feels like it gets deeper up ahead."

"So, what now?" Lark asked, even farther away than Piper.

Aerrow pushed himself a little farther to see how deep it became. He slid like a little boat, freezing water carrying him forward in little waves. He stopped himself when the water reached halfway up his arms and stretched out a hand. The tunnel's floor kept sloping downwards, and yet the ceiling stayed level.

"If it keeps getting deeper like it is, then the rest of the tunnel up ahead is completely submerged. We have to turn around and see if we can find another way," Aerrow called back to the others.

Just going forward in such narrow space was difficult. Turning around was nearly impossible. They grunted and strained to curl up and force themselves to face the other way. Aerrow managed to wedge his shoulders against one wall and his knees against the opposite. He wiggled and squirmed, wishing he had taken off his shoulder armor before doing so.

"I'm turned around," Piper announced.

Lark spoke up. "Me too. And, if you three didn't brag so much about being so muscular, you would be too."

Aerrow was using his feet to push back and pushed forward with his hands. Water splashed into his face as he wormed the right way. "I'm almost-glop!" His kicking feet slipped on the flooded sloping floor and he disappeared under the surface.

Dark Ace heard the splash and the abrupt end to Aerrow's words and got out his emergency light crystal. Piper, Finn, and Lark flinched at the sudden brightness, but it was forgotten as they all gazed past one another at where Aerrow once was. Little bubbles floated to the top of the slightly stirring surface. The sky knight had been right; about two feet from where Aerrow was, it was completely submerged in black water.

Piper tried to get past Dark Ace. "Aerrow!" Seeing that she couldn't fit past Dark Ace and he couldn't move, she roughly shoved him toward the water. "Stop gawking like a drunken monkey lizard and go get him!"

It was cold, dark and terrifyingly silent. Aerrow's feet slipped off from the tunnel's sloping floor and his weight carried him down quite a ways before the sky knight found the strength to move.

Aerrow put out his hands and kicked his feet feebly. It was so cold. His eyes opened and he looked around, trying to find the tunnel where he had fallen out in. The tunnel was far above, or rather, the small hole which was dug out from the ceiling of Cyclonis' old throne room!

The huge cavern was now an underwater cave. The door, barely visible through the dark green water, was bolted shut with iron bars. The few windows that once let in fresh air were shut tightly. The stone floor about fifty feet below him was already coated in a dark algae from the filth when it was dry. Cyclonis' throne chair floated aimlessly around, clunking against walls and other loose objects.

Bubbles escaped from Aerrow's mouth and his lungs squeezed painfully. He stared hard at the door. An idea was forming in his pounding head.

Suddenly something grabbed his stiff arm and pulled him up. Aerrow didn't resist and soon broke the surface, coughing and gasping. Finn and Lark pulled him back from the water onto the damp tunnel's floor.

Dark Ace spat water and wrung out his uniform. "What were you thinking? You were just floating there!"

Aerrow sucked in enough breath to reply, "I found out how we're going to get to Menaphis."

Dark Ace dug a finger into his ear and wiggled it about. "Yeah? Another genius plan?"

Piper ignored him. "What is it?"

Aerrow pointed down. "The water you see there is just the very top of a huge lake. Right below us is Cyclonis' throne room."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Finn cut him off with a wave of his hand. "How is that possible? We entered this place through Dark Ace's little 'secret' tunnel, which leads up to Cyclonis' throne room and exits from under her chair. But when we were in the little 'secret' tunnel, we fell _down _into that room where we left Junko, and then we went straight through this tunnel, and now we're suddenly on top of Cyclonis' throne room?"

"Menaphis' power is way beyond our comprehension," Dark Ace said grimly. "This entire place is probably messed up."

Aerrow sat up and leaned toward them. "We're going to go through the throne room's doors. They're only shut with a few metal bars. If we pry those loose, we'll be out and hopefully we'll be able to find Menaphis from there."

Dark Ace, as usual, had a doubt. "But what if all the halls are flooded? Once we're out the doors, and there's nothing but more water, what then?"

Aerrow was ready. "If there was more water in the halls outside the room, then why did they bother to bolt the doors?"

Dark Ace taped his chin. "True."

Finn stared glumly at the slightly stirring waters. "So, who wants to go first?"

No one volunteered. Piper, after an awkward silence, crawled into the water, took a deep breath, and slipped under the surface with barely a ripple.

Piper sank quickly, and then halted herself halfway. What Aerrow said was true; the entire throne room was underwater. The doors, on the other side of the cavern, were shut by three steel bars. She noted this, and then rose up.

Finn was just about to dive in after her when Piper popped up, sucked in air, and said, "We need something to break the bars. They look pretty thick."

Aerrow stroked his chin. "I think I spotted some of those lantern staffs floating around that used to line the walls. Can you find one?"

"Just a sec. I'll see." Inhaling deeply, she sank back in. A moment later, she surfaced, blinking and sputtering. "Oh, that's cold." She raised a tall staff, the violet light crystal gone and the black paint half peeled off.

Aerrow took it. "It'll have to do."

Piper submerged and Aerrow followed. One by one, the others joined them. Soon, they were all swimming downwards through the thick green water in eerie silence.

Aerrow could make out Piper's dim form swimming slightly ahead of him, her black hair swirling 'round her head and her feet together like a mermaid. Lark was a bit behind him. Dark Ace and Finn were somewhere hidden from his sight.

They went down, down, down, until they halted slowly before the Cavern's bolted doors. Aerrow set the staff's butt under the lowest steel bar and, with help from Dark Ace and Finn, pried it out nails and all. Bubbles escaped from his mouth, but he set the staff under the second bar and that one came out easily. The third was a problem.

The third bar was tightly wedged into the door frame on both sides. Piper saw the problem and pointed upwards, asking if they should go back up. Aerrow scowled. They would be drowned by the time they got back to where they were. He waved them all around and set the staff under the third bar, and held up three fingers. They all took hold of the staff and nodded, their faces white from the lack of air. Aerrow set his shoulders and his fingers went down to two, and then one. They threw their weight against the bar and it bent, but didn't release its vice grip on the door frame.

Aerrow didn't panic. He once again set the staff under it and the others gripped the handle hard. Three, two, one. _ Yank! _The bar popped out. Quickened by his squeezing lungs, Dark Ace snatched the staff from Aerrow and hit the sealed door with the butt. That, and together with a million pounds of water, the doors flew open and they were swept through out into the halls.

Aerrow was tossed like a twig in the mad torrent of raging rapids. He pushed the walls with the staff before the water could throw him against them and used it as a lever to stop himself. The staff's pointed grated on the stone floor, but it halted him so quick that he rammed into it. Cyclonis' throne chair rushed toward him and he grabbed it, pulled himself onto it, and hooked Finn as the sharpshooter floundered helplessly.

Shivering and gasping, they clung to the fancy furniture, calling out for the others. Piper had managed to get a hold of the end of a wall tapestry and clutched it half in and half out of the wild water like a leech. She snagged Lark and they both hugged the wall, pounded mercilessly by angry water. Dark Ace was no where to be seen.

Gradually the mad river slowed to a restless lake in the center of the Grand Hall… and at the feet of five gawking Talons. Aerrow leaped off the warped throne chair onto dry ground, shaking from the event. Finn attempted to copy his action, but only succeeded in landing belly first three feet from where he pushed off.

Aerrow coughed up filthy water, and pointed a trembling finger at the gaping Talons. "You saw nothing."

The Talons looked at each other, and then passed out. Aerrow turned and waved to Lark and Piper, who were just coming from the hall chest high in water. "You guys alright!"

Finn spat out something green. "Oh, I'm fine, thanks for asking."

Aerrow helped them from the lake, where they sat down wearily, panting and shaking water from their ears. Lark wiped her eyes and looked around. "Dark Ace?"

"Up here." They all looked up. Dark Ace hung onto the chandelier for dear life, swinging to and fro. "A little help here?"

Aerrow couldn't resist a laugh. "How the heck did you get up there?"

Dark Ace gasped as the chandelier began to come out of the ceiling. "Not important!"

Lark striped the last of the jackets from the senseless Talons and quickly tied the sleeves together. "Here, take an end and stretch them out."

Dark Ace looked down nervously at the makeshift net. "You have to be mad it you think that'll hold my weight!"

Piper shrugged. "Fine. You can just hang there until the chandelier breaks off from the ceiling and we'll all be crushed."

Dark Ace let go. He landed smack in the middle of the jackets, bounced once, and the sleeves came untied. Dark Ace landed on his rear with a thunk and moaned. "Why did I even here?"

Aerrow tossed down his end of the makeshift net. "Do you guys remember where Menaphis' room is?"

Finn, not knowing the meaning of stealth, walked up to a door and read the label. "Kitchens. Sweet!" He opened it… and screamed. "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

Their heads snapped around to look at Finn. Aerrow raised the staff still clutched in his hand. "What?"

Finn slammed the door shut, his eyes wide and his face pale. "Nothing but merb cabbage… absolutely nothing." He shivered. "It's… it's everywhere in there!"

Aerrow could almost smell the vile odor and gave the door a wide berth. "Let's avoid going in there then. Oh, and Finn?" He turned and shouted in the sharpshooter's face. "Stop screaming!"

Finn covered both ears. "Ow… okay."

Dark Ace pointed to an open hall with no door at the other end of the Grand Hall. "I remember running through there. I was following the racket you all were causing."

Aerrow pulled Finn away from the Kitchen's window. "Let's go."

They ran around the water's edge to the dark hall, wet and tired. Finn flinched and clutched at his stomach. "Oh, that hurts."

Aerrow halted at the end. The hall spilt into two, both equally forbidding. "Which way?"

For once, Dark Ace appeared unsure. "Uh… right!"

They started right, but then Dark Ace stopped them. "No, left!" But then he rubbed his chin. "Or is it right...?"

Aerrow knew they didn't have time to waste. Once the Talon army reached the mining terra and realized that it was a trick, they would all rush back full force and angry. He didn't know how long it would take to bring Menaphis down. It could take days for all he knew. "Finn, take the left hall. I'll take the right. Dark Ace, Piper, Lark, stay here and listen for our calls."

Finn disappeared into the gloom to the left and Aerrow ventured to the right, his staff at ready to strike out at anything that popped up. It was not totally dark; the occasional lamp flickered dimly, but it cast shadows against every inch. It was confusing and, Aerrow had to confess, kind of scary. The sky knight squinted. Was that a light up ahead?"

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH! It's Menaphis!" Finn's panicked scream brought Aerrow dashing the way he came. Finn came scrambling from the left hall, gasping and trembling. He skidded at Piper's feet and pointed breathlessly at the darkness. "He's in there!"

Dark Ace's little light crystal was still in his belt. He took it out and tossed it into the black. The tiny crystal clattered onto the smooth floor and slid to a halt, lighting up the terrible, menacing, horrific, shocking, deadly… dummy of Menaphis. But this time it had a broom for a head, not a barrel.

Aerrow let the staff drop to his side. "Oh, c'mon, Finn. You fell for that again?"

Finn rubbed the back of his head. "It was just kinda… there. Scared the heck out of me."

Piper shook him off her leg. "No kidding."

Aerrow pulled Finn up and gestured with his staff. "This way."

"No, I wouldn't go that way."

They froze. "What was that?"

The voice spoke again, chuckling, "Go to the right, and you'll end up plummeting into a furnace for melting down iron crystals." It was raspy and seemed to be coming from everywhere.

Aerrow gritted his teeth. "Menaphis."

The voice became sarcastic. "No, it's Leugey the raptor. Finn, I want my brains back."

"I can't help it!" Finn wailed. "My nerves are a bit edgy right now!"

Suddenly a door, hidden right at the corner of the left hall in the darkness, creaked open a crack. A slim, serpent-like tail snaked out along the wall toward them. "I moved the entrance to my throne room. I'm right here. Come right in and make yourselves comfortable."

Aerrow looked back at his team. They looked about as blank as he was. The voice became gentle, tired. "Don't worry. There's no tricks. All my Talons are either away on their little trip to the mining terra to capture Starling or passed out. Come in." The tail withdrew back through the door with a rustle of scales and was gone.

Aerrow swallowed hard and stepped toward it. Dark Ace caught his wrist. "Are you out of your mind? He'll kill us!"

"What else do you want to do?" Aerrow snapped, wrenching his arm from his grasp. "Dress up as salesmen and pretend to be offering free samples of cologne? He already knows we're here!"

Piper's hands shook visibly, but she put on a brave face. "Right. Lead on."

Aerrow held up his staff and pushed the door open farther, expecting something to blow up in his face. Nothing. He tapped the doorframe and stepped inside.

The room wasn't dark, but it wasn't light. The carvings on the walls were even grander looking in the shadows and the giant window forming the back wall loomed over him. Menaphis slouched in his throne, his huge but lean body spilling over it. His tail reached all across the room to the door and twitched slightly to greet his former teammate. "Hello. So, are you going to kill me?"

Aerrow's green eyes darted from one corner to the next, looking for anything out of place. He was scared. Not scared because there could be something, but because there wasn't. "This is a trick."

Menaphis shrugged. "Could be. I want to kill you, you want to kill me."

Aerrow glanced over his shoulder, noting that the others were behind him. Menaphis' expression didn't change its casual, bored look. "It looks like everyone's here but that wallop and the sky monkey. Did Stajj kill them?"

"Stajj…" Aerrow bit his lip. The bird creature. His back stung at the thought of the attack. "No. I killed him."

Menaphis laughed. "Good. I never liked that sniveling rat. I knew what he was really after." The tail moved to caress the wrath crystal at his arm rest.

Aerrow noted its placement. "So, you have us within reach. Aren't you going to tear us to pieces?"

The reptilian tongue slipped out to lick his front teeth. "No, I like to toy with my meals. It amuses me."

Aerrow raised his staff. "I'm one meal that won't go down easily."

His fangs showed in an amused grin. "You're going to beat me with a stick? I'm offended. I thought you were better than that."

Weeks of frustration boiled over in Aerrow. With a howl, the sky knight hurled the staff like a spear at the dragon. Menaphis didn't bat an eyelid as it clattered over his head.

Piper took Aerrow's arm. "How did you know you were here?"

Menaphis held up a tape recorder, tiny in his claws. "By this." He pressed play.

"Auuuuuuuuuuuuugh! It's Menaphis!" He fast forward a bit. "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH! Nothing but merb cabbage… absolutely nothing. It's… it's everywhere in there!" More fast forward. "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH! It's Menaphis!"

Menaphis smiled. "Not just a bunch of bored Talons, my friends. Nice, eh?"

Dark Ace inched toward Menaphis' tail, his hand going to his belt. Suddenly, in one fluid movement, the former Cyclonian wiped out a knife and stabbed the tip of the twitching tail to the bone. Menaphis shrieked. Lark hurled her rusty old staff straight at him and it snapped in two on his scaled neck.

Aerrow clenched his fists. "Here he comes!"

Menaphis sprang from his throne, teeth agape and his claws bared. He was a true dragon now, his eyes burning like coals. Piper, the only one with the remaining real weapon, stabbed at the oncoming dragon, but Menaphis battered it aside with one swipe, sending her flying. He bowled Aerrow over and went for Dark Ace. The knife nicked his nose, but broke. Menaphis swiped at him with his talons, but the man darted away, only to be knocked flat by Menaphis' tail.

Aerrow got up and retrieved the sharp end of the broken blade. He leaped onto Menaphis' back and stabbed it deep, pushing the jagged blade past the hard green scales and into the muscle underneath. Menaphis curled around and hit the sky knight head on with his jaw, smacking him off.

Aerrow's vision blacked out for a second as he hit the stone floor hard and rolled. His head smacked against the wall and he slumped there, dazed. Menaphis charged at his hated enemy with an ear splitting roar, ashes spitting from his mouth. Aerrow feebly tried to get up, but failed. He could only stare in horror as Menaphis raised a claw to slice him through.

Finn had somehow pried one of the spikes lining the throne room's walls and thrust it into Menaphis' side. Aerrow shut his eyes tightly as the claws whistled pass his head and crashed into Finn, sending him tumbling. The spike was knocked from his hands and Menaphis whirled to stand over the sharpshooter. One claw scooped up the spike and, before anyone could say a word, stabbed Finn right through.


	33. Face to Face part 2

Face to Face part 2

* * *

Menaphis twisted the spike, and then released it. Finn staggered back, and then fell heavily at Piper's feet. Her eyes were wide, her mouth open in a soundless scream. She stared in horror at where the spike went in at the left side of Finn's stomach, to where it exited horribly from the back of his right side. Finn lay on his back, bubbling at his pale lips and all the blood drained from his face. Finally the scream of a distressed animal escaped Piper's throat and she knelt over the sharpshooter.

Aerrow's head rang. Finn! He tried to get up, but immediately his back was raked in vicious pain. What to do? What to do?

Menaphis turned back to Aerrow, his coal eyes slit dangerously. The sky knight knew he was in a bad situation. As the dragon came for him, Aerrow's hand fumbled for his belt. There was only one he could think of that could fight Menaphis.

Menaphis' head reared back, and then shot forward. Aerrow managed to dive out of the way just in time but, as he fell, his back burst into agony. He cried out, unable to do anything but lay there in pain. Whatever he was fumbling for fell from his belt and clattered onto the stone. Menaphis didn't notice in his blind rage to tear Aerrow apart.

Dark Ace had torn another spike from the wall and hurled it at the maddened dragon as he raised his claws, but it simply shattered on Menaphis' thick shoulder scales. It made him even angrier. Turning his head, Menaphis exhaled a powerful blast of green energy. Dark Ace dropped to the floor as the energy smashed into the rock wall where he had been balanced a second before. The rocks fell and buried him.

Aerrow rolled over onto his back as Menaphis once again turned his attention back to the sky knight. Aerrow could actually feel the heat from the coal eyes as Menaphis spat ashes at him. "I've been waiting too long for this, sky knight trash!" Menaphis howled, raising his fearsome claws. "Die!"

He winced as a flash of light enveloped the cavern. "What the..?"

The small chunk of wrath crystal glowed white at first, and then slowly became a bright green. Menaphis turned toward it with an outraged snarl. "You!"

An image appeared at the center of the light. It was faint at first, but gained height, width, and solidity as the brightness became even more brilliant. The crystal rose to become lodged into the form's chest. The brightness faded, and Stork stood in its place.

Aerrow coughed. "Stork…"

The merb wasn't completely solid. At some thin points, like his ankles and wrists, he was completely translucent, but it was Stork. The long lost Storm Hawk boldly pointed an accusing transparent finger at the dragon. "Don't touch him, Wrath Crystal! I'm getting my body and my mind back!"

Menaphis appeared surprised, but then he just laughed. "What are you going to do? Nip my ankles?" With a roar, he swiped at the merb, but his claws went right through him. Enraged, Menaphis tore at the image, his claws going past Stork and tearing up the stone.

"Try all you like," Stork sneered. "You can't touch me. But I can touch you!" The merb leaped for the dragon. Surprised, Menaphis drew back, but Stork was already halfway though his broad chest. Menaphis yowled as the merb vanished under his skin. "Get out of me!" He ripped his chest with his own claws in panic. "Get out!"

The results of Stork's attack were almost instantly noticeable. Menaphis roared, and then was silent. His face became softer and the fangs disappeared. The eyes opened. They were a yellowish white with the simple black pupil gazing down at Aerrow as the sky knight lay there. "Aerrow! Get out of here! Run away!" Stork flinched, his wide eyes flashing red. "I… can't… hold…"

Menaphis came back with a shriek. The dragon shook his head furiously as if to rid him of Stork. Once eye opened a slit and glared at Aerrow murderously. He made to step toward the sky knight, but then was yanked back with a screech.

Aerrow fought to get up. "Help Stork! Distract Menaphis!"

Dark Ace tottered from the rock pile under which he had been buried under. He heard Aerrow and scooped up the spike that he had thrown at Menaphis. He swung it back to throw, but Lark caught the end. "No, wait! We don't want to harm Menaphis! Stork's part of him!"

Dark Ace tugged at it. "I don't care! I'll take them both down!"

Lark threw her weight against the spike, and Dark Ace turned on her with an angry growl.

* * *

Piper protected Finn with her body as Menaphis' tail whistled over them. The sharpshooter's eyes were wide in terror and his breath was coming labored and fast. Piper sobbed as she crouched over him, trying to staunch the running blood from around the spike still embedded though his stomach. "I'm sorry, Finn! I'm sorry for all the times I've argued with you, I'm sorry for all the times I've yelled at you! And I really do, deep, deep, deep, deep, _deep _inside, like your music! I'm sorry!"

Finn blinked his misted eyes. "You like my music?"

Piper hugged him close. "Yes. I do."

* * *

Menaphis and Stork screamed. The two fought ferociously inside the body. The dragon charged wildly around the cavern, slamming blindly into walls and the stairs and clawing itself. The creature fell to the floor, dragged itself a length, and then leaped up again only to crash into the wall or stumble. The howls shook the entire Menaphisiem as the two rolled over and over. Only one would walk away; one as a dragon, and one as a small merb.

* * *

Aerrow was stuck. He had managed to crawl painfully away from the writhing dragon, but he was now trapped between the corner of the stairs and the wall. He pressed his shoulder against the first step and shut his eyes as Menaphis' tail smashed into the stairs not far above him. The sky knight slowly turned onto his belly and began to drag himself up the first stair. It was agony. He lifted himself millimeter by painful millimeter until his chin rested on the second stair.

A glow at the very top of the staircase caught his wavering attention. It was the Wrath Crystal, left forgotten on Menaphis' throne. The sky knight set his jaw. For Atmos.

* * *

Piper hauled Finn toward the door. The sharpshooter hung limp like a dead fish, his consciousness long gone. Piper instinctively ducked as Menaphis thrashed about nearby, but kept going.

She kicked open the door and held it open with one foot as she attempted to scoot Finn out of harm's way. "Hold on Finn. Almost there…"

Menaphis' tail slammed down centimeters from her face, sending up rock and dust. She screamed and scrambled back, tripped over Finn, and grasped his uniform to drag him away. Menaphis prowled toward her, panting and frothing at the mouth like a rabid animal. Stork lay where he had been thrown against the wall.

Menaphis' eyes were twice as large as normal and the heat hit Piper full in the face. His pupils shrank until they were nearly invisible as he threw back his head and roared. One swipe of his claws, and Piper was crumbled at the base of the wall like a broken doll.

* * *

Aerrow's world had reduced to one big pulse of pain. He couldn't see. Black rimmed his vision, and the rest was a misty, dark red. He could only rely on his sense of touch as he continued to crawl bit by bit up the seemingly endless staircase, his cold yet sweaty clammy fingers raw from feeling and bumping against the stone. He was like a machine. He couldn't stop. Even if he wanted to, he wasn't sure if he could. The Wrath Crystal sat at the top of the stairs, taunting him. Aerrow gritted his teeth. He was going to get it even if it killed him!

* * *

Dark Ace wretched the spike loose from Lark's grasp and pushed the girl to the ground. The former Cyclonian turned with the spike raised to throw, only to see Menaphis' tail fill his vision. It hit him head on.

Lark dived out of the way just in time to avoid being smashed into by Dark Ace's flying body. She scrapped her knees painfully and cried out. Menaphis turned toward her, his tail whipping around his lean, muscular body. Lark half stood, but froze. She completely froze in Menaphis' wrathful gaze. All she could think about was how scared she was.

Menaphis' head reared back. Beads of sweat sprang onto her forehead. She saw that movement before, right before he blasted a huge ball of green energy that buried Dark Ace under a mound of rock. _Oh no, oh no, oh no! I don't want to die! What do I do? _She simply knelt there, staring frightfully up at the dragon's open jaws. Green energy built up at the throat and Menaphis' head shot forward.

Something big and hard suddenly swept her out of the way. It squeezed her tightly and her world shook until she didn't know if she was right side up, upside down, or dead. Lark felt the steel-like arms enveloping her loosen and she tumbled to the ground, stunned. Whatever, or whoever, had saved her turned away and charged straight for Menaphis.

A gentle, small hand shook Lark's shoulder and she opened her eyes. Radarr tugged at her sleeve and she shakily followed him.

Junko landed a direct punch on Menaphis' snout before the dragon could react. The monster yowled and swiped at him, but the wallop smacked the claws aside and punched him in the jaw. Menaphis' head snaked back and his tail came into play. The tail crashed down again and again, his fearsome claws slicing through rock, but no wallop. Junko rolled under Menaphis' belly and got a hold of the base of his tail. The dragon gasped as he was dragged backwards, and then was thrown over.

Menaphis couldn't believe it. The dragon got up slowly, tasting the blood in his mouth. Junko raised his purple knuckles. "No one hurts my friends and gets away with it!"

This time Menaphis didn't hesitate. Junko fell clutching his chest.

* * *

Aerrow didn't know if he was close to the top, or only a few steps from the ground. He had no idea. His breaths came in sobs and his entire body shook violently as he moved slowly, ever so slowly, upward. He couldn't see. He couldn't hear. Sweat ran into his mouth, making his bone dry throat pasty and gross. Now he couldn't breath.

His numb fingers felt the next step and felt for the end of it. He didn't find it. A tiny smile slipped onto his bloody and chapped lips. He had reached the top.

* * *

Junko gasped as Menaphis' heavy claws pressed down upon his chest. "Looks like you're the only one left with guts, wallop. Want to see what color they are?"

Junko bared his teeth, his jaw muscles jutting out and he clutched the dragon's claws. But no matter how much strength he exerted to repel them, the needle tips inched closer to his vulnerable throat. Menaphis' eyes burned joyfully as they pierced the wallop's skin.

Suddenly Stork overwhelmed his mind. Menaphis, caught off guard, was momentarily thrown out of control. Stork took over the mammoth dragon's body and threw himself against the wall. "Now, Junko! Get out of the way!"

The wallop scrambled away as Stork punched himself, and then slammed his head onto the ground. Menaphis began to come back. Half and half, each fighting for control, they tore at themselves.

* * *

Lark, with the help of Radarr, crawled on her hands and knees along the wall towards the dark, limp forms of Piper and Finn. She winced as her hand landed in a splatter of green blood. She bit her lip from crying out and kept going. Finally she knelt beside Piper and touched her friend's shoulder gently. "Piper?"

Piper's hand twitched.

* * *

Stork wretched his mind from Menaphis' twisted clutches and gained control of the left arm. The claws outspread and Stork tilted up the dragon's chin. The claws sped up, the needle tips glinting in the fiery coal eyes.

The right arm shot up and caught the left's wrist at the last second. Menaphis, in control of the right eye, glared at the left eye, which was tightly shut with exertion. The right half of the mouth was curled into a sneer, and the left half in a fearsome snarl.

The claws of the right hand dug into the left's wrist cruelly. Stork, in possession of the left half of the body, strained with all his might to wrap his talons around their throat. Menaphis, the right half, strained with all of his might to bring it down. It was a game of will.

* * *

Aerrow crouched beside Menaphis' throne. His breathing had regulated somewhat, but he still trembled uncontrollably. His back hurt so much. The sky knight pressed the back of his hands to his eyes, trying to wipe the film from over his eyes. He could see, but not well enough. The red coating was still there, limiting his sight to only shadows and blurs.

He reached out. His fingers searched the air until they bumped against wood. He searched up the wood until he felt the seat, the backrest, and then the left armrest. Aerrow slid his hand down it. Heat scalded his arm and pain lanced up to his shoulders. He fell back, arching like a fish out of water as his back hit floor.

The sky knight lay there for a moment, then forced himself to his feet once again. He tottered to the throne and felt along the chair until he felt the heat again. This time, he kept his distance. The Wrath Crystal spat fiery sparks at the sky knight, warning him to stay away. But Aerrow wasn't put off so easily. Instead, he knelt down and felt the ground beneath him. Covering the hard stone beneath the throne chair was a thick, well woven rug. He followed the cloth until he found the edge. And then, taking a deep, steady breath, he yanked with all his might.

* * *

Menaphis' ear twitched at the crash of his throne and the clattering of the Wrath Crystal falling down the staircase. Stork seized his chance. He broke Menaphis' grip on his wrist with a twist and his claws stabbed into his foe's half of the face.

Menaphis howled, Stork's claws deep in his face. He made the mistake of forcing their head to the left and the claws raked across both their faces. One claw hooked their nose and tore the nostril. Menaphis and Stork raged back and forth, the fallen Wrath Crystal forgotten.

* * *

Aerrow half stumbled, half-fell down the stairs, a torn piece of the rug clutched in one hand. The Wrath Crystal sensed his approach and sent out a fiery pulse. The sky knight managed to leap over it, but the pulse wasn't meant for him.

Menaphis felt the Wrath Crystal's call for help and turned his awareness to the crystal. Once he saw Aerrow wrapping the pulsating crystal in the heavy material, his rage became even greater.

Stork was once again thrown out of the body. The nearly transparent merb bounced twice before sliding to a stop on the hard floor. Stork lifted his head and called out, "Aerrow! Move!"

Aerrow threw a look over his shoulder, saw Menaphis shake his head to clear the last of Stork and glared at the sky knight murderously. He straightened, the Wrath Crystal in his arms. Menaphis stopped in his tracks, his burning eyes on the covered crystal. "Put that down, you little fool, or I'll roast you alive!"

Aerrow laughed weakly. "And roast your precious heart in the process? Fat chance!"

Menaphis snarled. "Idiot! You have no idea what you're holding! One false move with that and we'll all be ashes!"

Aerrow tossed the covered crystal up and down, taunting the dragon. "I see. A false move, eh? What if I do this?" He tossed the crystal high.

Menaphis cried out and lunged for it, but Aerrow caught it. "Ah, scared of a little shatter, are we?"

The dragon's body shook with temper. "Put that down! Now!"

Aerrow hugged it close. "Not until you surrender. If you don't, you can say goodbye to your source of life!" He held the large crystal out an arms length.

Menaphis started, but then his nervous grimace slowly became a wicked smile. "Wow, are you dumber than I thought. Are you really the sky knight of this squadron, pathetic as it is? Wow, are you sad. You really think a simple drop will shatter my heart?"

Aerrow frowned. "Uh… yeah."

* * *

Lark heard all what was going on. The corner of her mouth jerked up as she pressed the corner of her torn sleeve to Finn's side and Radarr shook Piper to conciousness. Aerrow had Menaphis fooled.

* * *

Menaphis laughed coldly. "Nothing can destroy a Wrath Crystal! Have you learned nothing? I thought Piper would gather at least enough information to make that clear!"

Aerrow gritted his teeth. "But I… I…"

Menaphis wiped away an imaginary tear. "Oh, darn. Are all your brilliant plans useless now? You actually thought that the most powerful crystal could be destroyed that easily?" He became serious. "I'll tell you one thing, sky knight trash. The Wrath Crystal can't be destroyed! Nothing can even nick its surface!"

Aerrow held the Wrath Crystal, staring at it glumly. "But… then how? I _saw _fear when you saw me holding this crystal!"

Menaphis circled his adversary, one fang over his lip. "You pitiful little weakling. Haven't you ever heard of _acting_?"

For a split second, Menaphis could have sworn he saw a small smile appear on the sky knight's face, but even if there was, it was gone in an instant. Aerrow continued to stare at the Wrath Crystal, but then he peered closer at it. "Wait, is that a crack?"

"What?" Menaphis automatically leaned closer to look.

_Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack!_

Aerrow slammed the diamond hard crystal over the dragon's skull. Menaphis drew back his head, roared, and then stumbled back. Aerrow took his chance and slid under the writhing monster's legs. Menaphis, one claw on his head, the other steadying himself, looked around furiously for his prey. He turned and saw the sky knight running along the opposite wall with the crystal tucked under one arm, still wrapped in the rug. On the other side, Lark and Radarr were trying to drag Finn out the door. Piper sat against the wall not far away from her friends, holding a torn cloth to her head. The navigator, barely conscious, tried to sit up farther but failed. She called out to her friend, "Aerrow! Look out!"

The sky knight threw a glance over his shoulder and hurled himself away from the wall just as Menaphis' bone crushing jaws crashed down a hairs breath away. A second later, his claws swiped a gorge into the rock floor and Aerrow tumbled to the side. As he did, a corner of the rug slipped from the crystal.

The sky knight flipped over onto his back, still clutching the Wrath Crystal to his chest. Menaphis was pretty much right over him, black spittle flying from his frothing, wide open mouth and his claws ripping through solid stone.

Aerrow, in his desperate scramble to avoid the claws, accidentally touched the crystal.

* * *

Everything stopped. Aerrow was suddenly surrounded in a bright red light. Before him, Menaphis' snarling face and bloody claws were frozen and slowly faded into a blinding fire. The sky knight covered his face in terror, the flames on all sides and licking at his uniform and filthy skin. Aerrow pressed himself against the wall, trying to get away. The Wrath Crystal lay half uncovered where he had dropped it, pulsating and lit dimly. Fire was lit all around it, but none even singed its polished surface. Aerrow lowered his arm from his tearing eyes and stared at the crystal. A white gleam shimmered over it, and he felt himself being drawn into it. Suddenly what felt like a thousand needles impaled him, and he cried out, hugging himself tightly as he slid down the wall.

_Pain is terrifying, yes? Everyone feels it, but one. That one… is whoever I choose._

Aerrow opened his eyes and gazed in horrified fascination at the gleaming crystal. "What?" The needles stabbed in again, and he flinched.

_I am the most powerful force in the world. I choose a being, a body, and I move in, blessing that being with abilities beyond anyone's wildest dreams! Just think, no more pain. Absolutely no more suffering._

Aerrow's breath came in sobbing gasps. "What are you talking about?!"

What came next was something like a dry chuckle. _You know perfectly well what I'm talking about. I am offering you that power. Menaphis is completely subdued, that troublesome merb will no longer be a nuisance. But you, you have caught my eye. You are special._

Aerrow's hands troubled uncontrollably. "Who are you?"

_I am what you would call… a helpful hand, a friendly neighbor, a… a… friend. I just want to help. You're in pain, no?_

Aerrow couldn't staunch the tears flowing down his face. "Yes… I'm in pain."

What looked like a thin, shifting fiery hand stretched out from the blinding flames. _Take my hand, and your pain will go away… forever. Just think, all those years of struggle will wash away from your limbs like filth. _

Aerrow clutched his head, unable to shut out the voice. "Go away!"

Suddenly an image appeared from all around him, fire forming its frame. Aerrow stared in horror at it. It was him, impaled with a spike to the cavern wall. He opened his mouth, but no sound came forth.

_Do you want this to happen? It can. Its pain, and pain happens. But with me and my power, it can never even touch you._

Aerrow grasped his head, terrifying images flashing all around him. Finn's head surmounted on a spear, Junko hanging from a tree branch by a greasy rope, Radarr lying ragged and trampled in an abandoned alley, Stork huddled into a ball in the center of jeering Talons, and a skeleton lying in a bed of ashes, the last of Piper's orange headband burning to a crisp on its blackened skull.

Aerrow sobbed, pressing his temples with his fingers and rocking back and forth, trying to rid the images from his fevered mind. The Wrath Crystal just sat there, the fiery hand still outstretched.

_What I can do for you, I can also do for your friends. No pain, no suffering, no sadness, no guilt, no lost love, no death… Just happiness and fun forever. That's what you want for your friends, right?_

Aerrow's right hand shakily lifted from pressing his temple. The Wrath Crystal continued to coo pleasing promises as it reached out farther to the sky knight with its fiery hand. The crystal's surface gleamed excitedly as Aerrow's hand hesitantly stretched for it.

The sky knight's skin was heavily scalded and painfully red. Blood ran down his back and the disturbing images still flashed. There was Starling and the cadets lying scattered around on a forested terra, their bodies laid wide open with whips. Dark Ace, bloody and dead, lay draped over the still body of Lark, trying to protect her to the end. Susie Lu and her fun-loving Blizzarian squadron were in the tearing jaws of the dreaded Gorge Sloths, and the Condor lay half buried to the hull in some forgotten junkyard. And Aerrow's father…

Aerrow's hand withdrew from the Wrath Crystal's hand like he was stung. There was his father seated on his skimmer, a bright blue sword in his hand and a triumphant smile of his handsome face. Beside him, in the copilot seat, a very young Dark Ace was seated, eager and full of energy. He couldn't have been any older than Aerrow. Behind them were the other original Storm Hawks and the Condor. The airship didn't look any less patched together, but somewhat newer. Aerrow allowed his hand to drop to his side and he stared in amazement at his father in the heroic scene.

The Wrath Crystal felt his joy and angrily lashed out at the scene. How did that image get in with the others?

Aerrow's joy melted into horror as the copilot Dark Ace, then known as just Ace, suddenly activated his blade and leaped up to balance on the skimmer itself. Aerrow's father only had time to half turn before the traitor's blade flashed down. The other Storm Hawks cried out and sped up their skimmers. Dar Ace pushed the sky knight's headless body from the controls and seated himself smugly. He wheeled the vehicle around with a laugh and set upon his teammates, the skimmer's guns locked and loaded. He was upon them before they could raise their blades.

Thus ended the original Storm Hawks.

"No!" Aerrow leaped up, his face full of anguish.

The Wrath Crystal was surprised and frustrated. It tried to make up for its mistake by flashing an image of Wren and Dove lying charred hand in hand, their burnt house in the background. But Aerrow didn't see it. Instead, the young sky knight stood over the crystal angrily.

"I won't fall for your tricks!" Aerrow shouted, pointing an accusing finger at the large crystal. "Go back to your master, you monster! I won't have anything to do with your plans!"

The Wrath Crystal burst into flames and Aerrow staggered back, shielding his face from the flying ashes. The furious crystal spat more horrible images, flinging flames at the boy.

Aerrow shut his eyes, trying to think of something else amid the burning fires and the unavoidable images. The occupants of Atmosia were heaped in a pile, crows peaking at their bloated remains. Terra Vapos was overrun with beasts and scattered bodies. Terra Rex spewed smoke and fire like a volcano. The leviathan snapped up screaming people at the Sky Side Shanty.

Aerrow sobbed, his brain feeling like a spike had been driven through it. "No! Stop it! I won't have anything to do with you! Never!"

The Wrath Crystal grew three times its size, sizzling and spitting furiously. Aerrow doubled over, trying desperately to think. He thought back to when he and his squadron had taken a vacation to Terra Ray. It was bright, warm day on the beach, and they had umbrellas, chairs, and cool drinks set up.

Stork was napping in the shade when Finn and Junko had put an angry crab down the sleeping merb's shorts. Aerrow couldn't resist a giggle. Stork ran around for ten full minutes with a crab down his pants. Piper had even taken a picture, framed it, ad put it up on the wall in the bridge.

The Wrath Crystal was confused and angrier than ever. Why was this boy laughing? It sent its victim an image of Ayrgyn the shapeshifter, the master who had taught the Storm Hawks to defeat the supercharged Talons, in bird form. The once bright feathers were dull and he had his head drooped as he clung feverishly to his perch in a small, rusty cage alongside a thousand other pet birds.

Aerrow thought back to when Stork had gotten Junko and Finn back by telling them that personal hygiene shortened a person's lifespan by twenty years. The sky knight smiled. The wallop and the sharpshooter didn't bathe, brush their teeth, or even drink water for a month before Piper finally told them it wasn't true.

The Wrath Crystal began to tire. The sky knight laughed out loud, going back to when he had dared Finn to stick his foot in the toilet. Finn did it, and it took five wrenches, two drills, a stick of gum and nine hours to get his foot free.

Slowly the fire faded, and the images stopped. The Wrath Crystal, puzzled and tired, receded. Aerrow, laughing, thought about the time when Junko woke up with a golf sized pimple on his cheek. The poor wallop was so embarrassed that he cut two eye holes in a paper bag and put it over his head. Aerrow wished he could have seen his face when Finn told him it was just a dried meatball that had stuck to his face from the dinner of the previous day.

Aerrow's eyes opened and the vise squeezing his mind loosened. The fires were gone and no disturbing images flashed. The Wrath Crystal was back in his arms. There were no burns on his skin, he actually felt cold. Aerrow blinked to clear his vision and saw...

* * *

… Menaphis.

Everything came back to him. He was right where he was before he had touched the Wrath Crystal. Aerrow dodged under Menaphis' legs and quickly took his hand off the crystal's hot surface. His palm was seared.

The dragon whirled, ashes billowing from his exposed throat. Aerrow, in mid-leap, saw the monster turn to get him in the back. The sky knight turned in midair so that he faced Menaphis. His toes slid on the smooth floor to slow his leap. Menaphis roared and prepared to swipe with his fearsome claws.

Aerrow's heart beat like a jackhammer. The razor sharp claws sped down.

_Now._

Aerrow pushed off the ground to the left and dropped the Wrath Crystal. Menaphis realized his victim's move too late. Unable to stop himself, the dragon's claws smashed into the Crystal, the stone around it, and his huge body followed. Off to the side, Aerrow managed to roll clear. As he did, his back made a snapping noise and he fell with a cry.

There was a small crack. Menaphis steadied himself from his wild attack and slowly raised his claws from the floor. There, in the center of the damage from his attack, lay the Wrath Crystal. At first it appeared unharmed, but then there came another crackle and a small fracture appeared vertical on the red crystal's surface. Then came yet another snap and the dreaded Wrath Crystal fell into two pieces.

Aerrow pushed himself up, wincing and clutching his ribs. Unable to believe that he had succeeded, the sky knight could only stare as the Wrath Crystal's two halves began to turn black, and then crumbled.

"Aerrow! You did it!" Piper shouted, managing to stand with the support of the wall. Radarr squawked in agreement and gave him thumbs up.

Lark stopped dragging Finn out of the half open door. "He did it? Really?" She stared in disbelief at the cracked crystal. "He did it!"

Menaphis shrieked and attempted to hold his beloved heart together. The dull crystal crumbled like a dirt clump, the tiny grains running though the devastated dragon's claws. He howled. "Noooo!" Menaphis angrily turned from the remains of the crystal to where Aerrow lay helpless. "You! You'll pay for that, you brat!"

His howl became a gasp as a scale, a tiny tiny scale, on his nose fell off. Another dropped, and then an even bigger one followed. The spines jutting from his spine receded and his claws became duller and duller. Menaphis sprang at Aerrow with his teeth bared, a thousand pounds of crushing fury. The sky knight recoiled and shut his eyes. This was the end for him.

Menaphis was barely an inch from landing on the sky knight when he suddenly blew up into a thick cloud of black sand. Aerrow kept his eyes squeezed shut as the sand swirled wildly around him, and then was gone. Forever.

Stork tossed the small chunk of crystal up and down smugly. "Goodbye, and good riddance, Menaphis." He peered into the remaining chunk of Wrath Crystal and watched a small, dark spark form at its center. "How does it feel being trapped in there, eh?"

Radarr dashed to his master's side and squawked. Aerrow opened his eyes and lowered his protective arm hesitantly. "What happened?"

Stork lowered the crystal and set it on the ground. "I was connected to Menaphis. I spent my time imprisoned in this crystal figuring it all out and tried it on him. He was so weak from the destruction of his heart that there was barely any resistance." Even as he spoke, Stork was becoming more solid by the second. He looked gratefully at his firm hands.

Piper staggered up to join them, still holding the rag to her head. "What about Menaphis?"

Stork gestured them to stand back. "While I'm still a bit connected to Menaphis' powers…" The merb stomped on the chunk of Wrath Crystal as hard as he could. It shattered into a million pieces.

They were all suddenly blown back by a huge pulsing wave of red energy. Menaphis' faint roar could be heard, but it was swept away. The pulse went out from the Menaphisiem terra and continued as strong as ever all across the entire Atmos. Terras that were destroyed were repaired, lives lost were found, injuries were healed, and all living beings' minds were wiped of the entire occurrence.

The pulse kept going until everything was in order, and then simply dissolved into thin air. Atmos was back to normal. It was as if Menaphis and his dreaded Wrath Crystal had never existed.

Atmos was safe once again.

* * *

Aerrow got up from where he had been bowled over by the pulse. He got up carefully, but then straightened, puzzled. His back didn't hurt.

Piper, equally as confused, took the rag from her head and felt where her injury had once been. Lark blinked and looked down at her palms where she had been scrapped. No marks were to be seen. Junko coughed dust and got up, finding that he felt no soreness. They all brushed themselves down, looked at each other, and then began to laugh and hug.

Dark Ace emerged from the mound of rocks under which he had been buried by Menaphis. Lark saw him and rushed to him. "Dark Ace, are you alright?"

The former Cyclonian rubbed the back of his neck, wincing. "Uh… yeah. What happened?"

Lark put her back to where the last piece of the Wrath Crystal had been crushed, joy upon her face. "Menaphis is gone! We saved Atmos! We're free!"

But Dark Ace wasn't looking at her. He was staring past her at the sand of the Wrath Crystal. Purple mist was rising from the mound. He knew what it was. The mist suddenly leaped up and sped toward Lark.

Piper saw it. "Lark! Move!"

Lark half turned to see what her friend was warning her about, but Dark Ace gave her a solid push from behind. The purple mist enveloped her and she fell to her knees.

Piper rushed toward her, but Aerrow caught her wrist. Lark was no more. Cyclonis got up unsteadily and brushed herself off. Dark Ace supported her.

"For now we are friends," Cyclonis said coolly, avoiding her former friends' eyes. "But the moment you set foot from this terra, we are enemies again."

Piper's lip trembled, but she bit it. "Just like old times."

Aerrow gave her a little hug. "Right, like old times. But first, let's go to Terra Ray. I hope the crystal's destruction repaired the Condor."

Stork rubbed his backside and kicked at the Wrath Crystal's sand moodily. "Just no crabs."

Junko grinned bashfully. "No crabs. I promise."

They all turned as Finn staggered through the half open door into the cavern room, one hand clutching at his stomach and the other steadying himself on the door frame. "Aw, I just dreamed that some deranged monster stabbed me right through with a decoration spike. Man, am I hungry!"

The sharpshooter cringed as his teammates, even Stork, dashed to him. Piper gave him a big hug. "Oh, Finn! Finn! You're alive!" Junko enveloped them both.

Finn pushed her away. "Yeah? And I have been for the last, what, fourteen years? Now tell me where some grub is!"

Junko scratched his head. "I'm confused."

Finn put his hands on his waist, looking past them into the cavern. "What happened in here? What is this place?" His mouth fell open. "Why are we standing calmly in the same room as Cyclonis and Dark Ace?"

"You mean, you don't remember?" Aerrow asked.

Finn made a face at the Dark Ace. "Should I?"

Piper took Aerrow's elbow and whispered to him. "The pulse that came from the crystal when Stork smashed it, I think it wiped his memory."

"But I still remember everything," Aerrow whispered back as Junko attempted to explain their adventure to Finn.

Piper looked back at the black sand. "I think only the ones who were in the presence of its destruction get to keep their memory. Everyone else must have no memory of all this."

Any further explanation was cut off by Cyclonis. The master of Cyclonia grudgingly held out a pair of engine crystals. "Take these to refuel your ship. It can get you as far as Terra Atmosia, but don't expect any more favors from me. This will be the only one as a reward for getting my empire back."

Aerrow nodded and he waved for his team to go out the door. Piper cast one more glance at Cyclonis before she followed them out. Behind her, Cyclonis couldn't help but feel a twinge of regret as she watched her one and only friend who was a girl leave. "Dark Ace, call back my Talons. They probably don't even remember why they were sent out in the first place."

She closed her eyes, feeling her magic and yearning for power come back into her heart.

* * *

The Storm Hawks found some abandoned skimmers in the hanger bay. Once aboard the repaired Condor, thanks to the destruction of the Wrath Crystal, Stork took full advantage of his joy of being back behind the wheel and the new engine crystals. He flew straight and fast to Terra Atmosia.

Stork kissed the control. "Oh man, does this feel so much better!"

Aerrow leaned back gratefully in his chair. "I'm glad you're back, Stork. And Junko, it's good you're feeling better."

Junko gave the Dark Ace dummy another solid punch. "I'm definitely feeling better! Oh yeah! Take that! And that!"

A loud rumble suddenly brought them all to their feet. Piper dropped her book. "What was that? Menaphis is back?"

Finn nursed his lean belly. "No, that was my stomach. When do we eat?"

Aerrow settled back as Atmosia came into view in the horizon. "Soon."

Everything was normal. Or, as normal as a day in Atmos could be.

* * *

Yay! Review! Hah! Take that Menaphis! Sorry it was a little rushed and weird at the end. I'm tired. Part 3 will come in a few weeks maybe. I'm still working on some details and all that. Anyways, review and make me happy: P


	34. PART 3

PART THREE

The first chapter of part 3 should be up in a few weeks. I don't know how good it'll be since I've only now started thinking it up, so just be patient. All I know is that it'll be taking place on Terra Amazonia a few months after defeating Menaphis. Hopefully I'll get more AerrowPiper in there. In order for it to be any good, I need reviews. Stay tuned and just be patient! (LUV STORK!)

-Supergirl


	35. Terra Amazonia

Terra Amazonia

Hiya! Supergirl's back, and she's brought up PART 3! and so, my loyal subjects, your queen's story continues...

* * *

"Yeeeeeeeeeeehah!" Aerrow dipped over the side of his skimmer and sliced the unfortunate Talons' skimmer's wing. The vehicle fell and the Talon hurled himself from its seat.

Piper pulled up alongside the sky knight. "Hey, how's it coming, Aerrow?"

Aerrow waved his blade at her. "Not bad! Even though there're only eight of them, it's better than none!"

Behind them, Junko and Finn chased the terrified Talons around like birds chasing dragonflies. Aerrow stretched and yawned. "Still, I wish there was more to do than attack little gangs of scouting Cyclonians. Ever since we beat Menaphis, everything is soooooooo boring!"

Piper twirled her staff in a lazy circle. "I know. These guys are soooooooo lame compared to when they were under Menaphis' control."

The last Talon's vehicle was destroyed and soon eight humiliated Talons with parachutes floated away toward the waste lands. Finn and Junko high-fived each other. "Oh yeah!"

Piper glanced over her shoulder at them. "Wow, if they just high-fived over this, then they must be _really _bored."

Aerrow turned his skimmer toward the waiting Condor. "I know, but there's not much else to do. Menaphis was months ago, and I sure don't miss him or his plans." He looked slyly over at Piper. "Unless you do."

Piper shook her head. "No!"

* * *

Aerrow and the others walked onto the bridge, stripped of their battle armor and pumped up. Finn ran circles around Junko. "Man! Bring on an army of those Talons! I'm ready to take on anything!"

Stork looked over his shoulder from reading the spinning dials. "Are you ready for this? We just lost a chunk of our engine."

Junko and Finn halted in mid high-five. "What?"

Stork turned to face them and threw up his hands in disbelief. "Exactly! While you were off amusing yourself with those Talons over there, a lone one came up and blasted the right rear engine! And you guys didn't notice!"

Aerrow hadn't noticed. "But… but…"

Stork continued. "The only reason we're aloof is because I've managed to patch it up as best as I could, but that's all it is. A patch up. If we don't land in a half-hour, we can say goodbye to the skies and hello waste lands!"

"Well," Junko suggested. "Can't we just fix it up in the air? I mean, don't we have an extra engine somewhere?"

Stork pressed his fingers to his forehead. "Junko, one engine is the size of this room. There's no place to put one… unless you're volunteering your quarters."

The wallop cast a glance toward his quarters, already stuffed beyond compasity with scrap metal and other junk. "Uh… sorry, no room."

Stork turned back to the controls as the Condor began to tip. "Piper, where's the nearest terra? I'm not going to be gable to keep her steady much longer."

Piper lowered the periscope and Aerrow unrolled a current map of the area. He slid a finger across the land marks, and then tapped the parchment. "According to this, the nearest terra is Terra Amazonia. Piper?"

The navigator swiveled the periscope to and fro, finally angling it to the west. "I think you're right. There's a heavily forested terra just visible north west."

Stork began to turn the groaning ship in the direction. "Let's just hope I can get us there in time."

As if to prove his point, the damaged engine exhaled a big puff of black smoke.

Stork gulped. "We're not going to make it."

* * *

"We're not going to make it!" Finn screamed in panic, wrapping his arms around a pipe. "We're not going make it!"

The Condor's damaged engine finally blew and the ship tipped downwards and began to pick up speed. The Terra Amazonia wasn't far ahead at all, but already Aerrow could already see that they weren't going to clear the edge in time.

Stork gritted his teeth and pulled as hard as humanly possible on the control to keep the ship's nose up. "Someone lighten the load!"

Aerrow used a tremor in the ship's flight to propel himself to the other side of the bridge. The sky knight snatched the lever as he skidded by and wretched it down.

The window in Junko's room opened and all the wallop's precious (if useless) possessions fell. The Condor suddenly lurched upwards as hundreds of pounds of steel gizmos clattered free from the ship to fall like a rain of metal down toward the wastelands.

Stork yanked the control up, and then to the side. The Condor veered to the left, tipping over dangerously far and narrowly making it over the terra's rocky edge. Quickly Stork jerked the control the other way and managed to level out the ship's flight. Tree tops snapped and flew like a whirlwind of twigs as the low flying airship lowered, slowed, and then finally slid to a halt.

Stork straightened from being nearly thrown over the control. The merb meekly looked out the dusty windshield, blinking as if he couldn't believe they were still alive.

Aerrow staggered upright and adjusted his uniform. "Ah, that's better. Who's alive?"

Five moans responded. Finn got up from sitting on Radarr. "Oh, sorry Radarr."

Aerrow helped Piper up and absent-mindedly kept his hand on her wrist as he turned to Stork. "Any damage?"

The merb tapped a dial, squinting at its readings. "I don't think so, well, besides the engine."

Junko stuck his tongue through a gap in his front teeth. "Oops. I lost a tooth. Help me find it!"

* * *

Stork stood on Finn's shoulders, who stood on Aerrow's shoulders, who stood on Junko's shoulders. The merb clung to the engine's charred rim to steady himself atop the leaning tower of people and peered inside. "Wow, it's worse than I thought. The rod that connects the power created by the engine crystals to the engine itself is completely shattered. No wonder I couldn't get it all stabilized."

"Can it be replaced?" Junko asked from the bottom of the tower.

Stork tugged the ruined rod from the engine and dropped it down to where Piper was waiting. "Depends on how expensive it is. I've never had to replace one, so I'm not sure how much they are or where they're found."

Piper picked it up gingerly, blanching as the grease stained her fingers. "Yuck. This is as good as gone."

Junko gently lowered them all down to the ground and rubbed his spine. "Isn't there, like, a village around here who can help? I don't think many Amazonians are hostile."

Finn rubbed his hands together greedily. "And I've heard they've got the hottest babes in all of Atmos."

Aerrow started toward the door. "Even so, let's bring weapons and our wits. Once we find a village, we'll give them some crystals as a gift and see if they'll lend us something to fly to Atmosia. We can find the part we need there."

Stork rubbed the back of his neck, looking up at the disabled engine. "Natives of any forested terra are likely to be carrying a disease, like the elephant hair parasite, or fire fungi. They're both fatal, you know, there's no cure."

Aerrow stopped halfway up the ramp. "You _are _coming with us, you know."

Stork stiffened his eyes wide. "Wha?"

The sky knight reached inside, and pulled out a parchment. He tossed it to the stricken merb. "You're the best at maps. Anyways, we can't leave you behind all alone in this jungle. You know the animals that roam this place."

Stork trembled uncontrollably. "Then leave Radarr with me!"

Radarr whimpered and clutched Aerrow's pant leg. Aerrow picked him up and allowed the sky monkey to curl around his shoulder. "C'mon, Stork. The nearest village can't be too far away!"

Stork rubbed his arm and cast a nervous glance at the forest. "I never thought I'd die at a place like this. I always thought it would be the Black Gorge or a Talon attack that would finish me off." He followed the others inside, murmuring. "It'll be the red scorpion spider that'll kill me, yeah, that'll be it. It'll stab my leg right through, and then they'll all regret making me come along. Or maybe the poisonous treesnake dragon. It'll take my head off from the trees above and the others won't even notice. They'll just keep going and get lost… maybe right into a swamp… or a moss spider's nest…"

* * *

Despite Stork's constant mutters of inevidable doom, the group gathered their weapons and all the spare crystals they thought would be useful to a native village in a jungle. Aerrow shifted his sling full of fire crystals higher onto his shoulder and clasped his blades down tight in their scabbards. He turned to his team, wrapping a scarp around his head and neck. "Ready?"

Piper tied off the scarf and adjusted it so that only her eyes were visible. "Ready! Finn, do you have our cloaks?"

The sharpshooter clasped the cloak firmly around his throat and tossed his friends the others. "Whew, these are hot. Why are these necessary?"

Aerrow shook his out. Dust flew everywhere. "These are camouflage cloaks. If one uses these right, then they can vanish in their surroundings. An enemy can pass by inches away from you, and they won't even notice."

Finn held his cloak up to cover his nose and mouth. 'Heh heh heh. Give me cookies before I suck up your blood!"

* * *

It was high afternoon when they set out, determined and well armed, out into the dark unknown of the Amazonian jungle. The terra wasn't named at random. It was hot, humid, thick, and dangerous. The natives were well adapted, and didn't appreciate outsiders. Aerrow hitched the sling containing crystals higher up his shoulder. He could only hope that they would have a chance at showing the natives that they intended no harm before they were seen as a threat. Amazonian warriors were famous for their strangling nooses.

Stork trailed along at the rear of their single file march, large yellowish eyes darting from shadow to shadow and little whimpers of terror escaping his lips. There could be anything, probably something poisonous, around any tree, any shrub. Finn looked over his shoulder irritably at the cringing merb. "Jeez, we're a few meters into the forest and you're already freak'n out?'

Stork flinched at a bobbing branch disturbed by the others ahead. His ears trembled at the overwhelming sounds of the jungle. "Do you have any idea how many things that are fatal in this place? One brush from the crimson ant shrub and your skin turns to ash. There's also the acid black beetle, so small you don't see it until your foot's already punctured by its toxic spines. I'm telling you, this place it's a certain deathtrap!"

Finn glanced down at Stork's bare feet. "Then maybe you should wear shoes. Anyways, our uniforms should protect our skin from any scary plant."

Stork held up a finger. "Not the saber fern. Its leaves are so sharp; it can cut clean through a ship's hull. Its berries can burn through metal."

Finn waved a careless hand. "And how common are these?"

Stork gave a passing shrub a suspicious glance. "They went nonexistent a thousand years ago, but you never know."

The sharpshooter sped up. "Hey Junko, watch out for nonexistent ferns. They can pop up out of nowhere."

The gullible wallop fearfully skirted a yellowish flower. Aerrow's voice called back to them from up ahead. "C'mon guys, quit messing around. Keep an eye out for danger."

Finn couldn't resist one last statement. "Or extinct plants."

"When a saber fern slices your feet off, don't come running to me for help," Stork snapped.

"Guys!" Piper sounded annoyed. "Seriously! With your talking, the entire terra could know we're here!"

"Oh yeah, like a crashing ship hasn't already," Finn returned hotly. "We probably have a whole swarm of angry extinct ferns on our trail right now!"

"Or Amazonian puff viper cats," Stork muttered darkly.

* * *

The forest became noticeably darker and thicker as they went on. There was still no sign of any natives or anything else beside annoying hordes of insects, but the Storm Hawks pressed on. Small streams, choked with small fish, criss-crossed the forest floor. Aerrow hopped over one for the hundredth time and waited as the others followed.

Finn looked down curiously at the tiny fish crowded around in the shallows. "What are those? I don't think I've ever seen black and yellow minnows."

Stork cleared the stream in an exaggerated leap. "Those aren't minnows, Finn. They're wasp piranhas; they have needle sharp tongues that insert a fatal poison into your veins. It first attacks your vital organs, and then you rot from your inside out. The only cure is a series of painful injections."

Finn flinched. "Ugh. Nice fishies."

Junko miserably whipped the back of his hand on his damp forehead as they continued their march. "It's so hot and dangerous here. Why would anyone want to live here?"

Stork suddenly stopped. "Flyberries."

They all halted to look back at him. "What?"

The merb pointed down to a ditch between the tangled roots of two old oak trees, not far from where they stood. Growing along its bottom was a small patch of sickly green shrubs, long wicked looking thorns sticking from their stems instead of leaves and shriveled grey berries handing limply down into the putrid ditch water trapped in the moldy leaves for who knows how long. But instead of joining his companions' gasps of disgust, Stork licked his dry lips and started toward it.

Aerrow stopped him. "Stork! What are you doing? You aren't seriously considering…" the sky knight blinked in horrified surprise as Stork turned and emptied his load of crystals into Aerrow's.

"Flyberries are a delicacy, even more so than merb cabbage," Stork giggled joyfully as he shook his sling out into a bag. "They're also a proven cure for spinal worms. I have noticed tingling in my lower vertebrae."

Finn clapped a hand over his mouth, his face turning green. Stork slipped down the ditch's steep side and stepped down to the bottom. His hand-like feet sunk knee deep into the sludge, but Stork didn't even hesitate wading to the plants and began to fill his bag with the half decayed berries, oblivious to the thorns.

Finn's face was twisted in horror. "That's just sick and wrong! Do you have any idea what can be living in that ditch water? Just a second ago you were listing off all the dangers of this place, and now you're standing in the nastiest of them all!"

Stork stuffed a handful of dripping mush into his mouth, making sounds of contentment. "mmmm, good." He held them out. "Want some?"

A wave of suffocating stink hit them head on like a brick wall. They fell back, coughing and gasping. Piper doubled over with a fit of coughing. "Gasp… flyberries are able to kill a being if you-cough- smell them too-ack-long!"

Tears streamed down from the corners of Aerrow's eyes as he fought for breath, covering his nose with both hands. Radarr clutched his leg, squawking and tugging his pant leg. "Stork, we're going to go. Catch up with us- gasp- when you're finished."

They turned and ran like they had a pack of rabid dogs at their heels.

Stork ate another handful, black juice running down his sharp chin. "yum, they dunno what they're missing."

He went on to filling his sack, whistling a depressing little tune as he worked. His sensitive fingers skillfully avoided the thorns to pull off the half submerged berries and put them, still soggy, into his bag. The smell wasn't unnoticed or ignored by Stork; his unique sense of smell turned the deadly scent into a pleasing aroma. Just the sight of the slimy juice staining his fingers made his mouth fill with drool.

As he reached for another plant, he suddenly noticed a web. It was big and delicate, strung between two berry plants and expertly looped around two others behind to form a net. Stuck in the center was the limp form of a moth. It was large, fuzzy, and quite ugly to Stork's point of view, and seemingly dead. Not wanting to go near it in case the predator was home, Stork turned his attention to another plant.

A slight stir from the moth wasn't unnoticed by the merb from the corner of his eye. The moth, hopelessly entangled in the sticky strands, was still clinging onto life and weakly continued its struggle in a last attempt to free itself. The merb turned back to face the desperate victim of the spider. The ripples his movement caused bobbed the plants and the web shook. The moth, feeling the bobbing, froze as if to expect the spider to pounce upon it at any moment. Its wings, so frail and pale, trembled in terror and exhaustion.

Stork glanced at his sack. He had enough to last him for days. Before he could change his own mind, the merb reached out and distastefully slipped two fingers under the moth and lifted it from the web. The strands clinging to the moth snapped and the broken ends drifted about ghostly in the air as Stork stood, holding the moth on his fingertips, and hauled himself up onto solid ground with the help of an overhanging root.

The moth was limp and still as Stork used the very tip of his free index finger to edge if from his hand. It slumped onto the leafy ground, sticky web still stuck to its wings and legs. One frail wing was creased.

Stork scrubbed his hand energetically on his uniform as he turned back for his bag. "There, my one good deed of the day." He stopped, realizing that he had come out the opposite side he had come in. It was much steeper, but his bag was -right at the bottom, set between the wall and the plants. The merb crouched, took hold of the overhanging root, and reached down. His fingers came short of the bag. Agitated, he shifted and tried again, dipping dangerously low.

Behind him, the moth stirred.

He touched the sack's rough material and stretched his length to its limit, wiggling his fingers as if to urge the sack closer. His grip on the root was firm enough, but his footing on the slippery edge wasn't. As Stork bent deeper, the loam supporting his weight suddenly gave way and Stork pitched forward head first with a yelp. The razor sharp thorns glinted.

A second passed, and then another. It took Stork a moment to realize that he was longer falling. He was perfectly horizontal over the ditch, staring down at the thorns. The back of his uniform was snagged on something, or… cold beads of sweat sprang up onto his face… someone.

He felt himself being lifted back toward solid ground. Whoever had him was kind enough to save him from falling, but probably only because they liked their meat decently clean. Stork, his heart beating like an out of control jackhammer, stayed as stiff as a board as he was lifted vertical again. Without turning, he said, "Who-Who are you?"

A voice like golden honey washed over him like warm water. "Someone who is very, very grateful."

Trembling, Stork slowly turned his head to look.

The moth was gone. In its place, floating inches above the ground, was a tall, beautiful winged women. She glowed like the sun, clad in a flowing white dress and delicate sandals. Her white hair floated about her head and shoulders like water and her face shone brilliantly. Around her neck was a furry scarf much like a moth's body. Two frail wings, folded together on her back, fluttered slightly. One was creased.

The pale eyes, startlingly beautiful, were on him. Stork turned around all the way to face her and pressed his back to the tree in terror. "Th-the moth..?"

One fine hand reached out and touched his mouth with a slim finger. "yes, I am a nature spirit, able to take on the form of a moth to better understand my element. Unfortunately I was careless and became trapped in the web. Thus entangled, I was not able to transform back. I would have perished had you not shone such kindness and saved my life. Therefore, I cannot thank you enough, young merb."

Stork was speechless in either terror or disbelief; he couldn't decide which. The spirit smiled, her blood red lips lighting up the entire area. "I sense much greatness in you, Stork of the Storm Hawks. You and your friends are very special indeed." Her hand withdrew and she spread her arms wide. "Because of your actions and your team's past history of hard work and determination to establish good in our world, I grant you a gift."

Her body became brighter and brighter, blinding Stork and overwhelming his senses. Her voice became fainter as his mind was enveloped in darkness and he unconsciously slid down the tree's trunk, eyes wide in terror and mouth agape.

"May you use this gift wisely and for the good of Atmos. Though evil may pursue, do not become faint of heart. Remember, and may our world be at peace… forever…"

Blackness won over and spirit's voice faded.

"_Forever…_"

* * *

"Stork! Stork!"

Stork's eyes fluttered open and he became aware of the damp loam pressed against his cheek. He was lying sprawled out on the leafy ground, not far from the ditch. What? When did he get here? Where was he?

Aerrow and Junko helped him sit up and leaned him against the base of the near oak tree. "Stork, what happened?"

Stork gazed blankly at the sky knight. "What happened?"

Aerrow gestured at the ditch. "Yes! What happened? We waited for you for hours! When we came back here, you were just lying here."

"Oh…" Stork rubbed his head. "I… I remember going down for flyberries, gathering them, and then coming back up here. That's it." He looked over at the sack that Finn was holding far from him with two fingers. "Oh, look. Flyberries."

Piper covered her nose from the merb's breath. "Eww, Stork, I think those berries made you pass out."

Stork frowned. "I've never gotten sick from flyberries before."

Aerrow recoiled from the merb, pinching his nose shut. "They must grow differently here than on Terra Merb. We better throw them out."

Finn was feeling a little queasy and was all too glad to drop the dripping bag back into the ditch, much to Stork's dismay. "Oh… darn. Guess we won't be having flyberry casserole tonight. Drat."

Junko didn't catch the sarcasm. "Don't worry. I'll make my special lobsterpuss fruitcake. I've got some fresh soggyflour and some brussel spinach that'll make it so rich, your jaw will hurt for a month!"

Everyone blanched and Stork gagged. "Ugh… flyberries taste so much better going down."

Aerrow looked up and noticed the sky darkening. "We need to find a village quick before we get caught out here during night." He looked down at Stork. "maybe you should stay here for now."

Stork forced himself up to his feet. "What, and stay here to become an Amazonian spy lizard snack? Fat chance! I'd rather go with you and keep my head, thank you!"

Finn nodded knowingly. "He's fine. The more paranoid he is, the healthier he is."

Stork looked as if to object, but then shrugged. "I can't object. It's true."

Aerrow cast one more look at the sky and helped his helmsman from the tree. "Then we better hurry. There should be a village near here."

Junko took charge of supporting the dazed merb. "Right. Just stay by me, Stor-" The wallop shielded his nose with his free hand. "Or, at least, just until we get back to the ship."

As they proceeded their march into the jungle, Stork twisted his head around to look back at the ditch. He felt like he was forgetting something, but what? Did he hit is head, or did the flyberries really cause him to faint? Stork lost sight of the ditch as the trees and vines closed in around him, but had he watched a moment longer, he would have spotted a rather large moth flutter across the ditch to land lightly upon a root. One wing was creased.

* * *

"GAH!" Finn nearly blacked out as Junko plucked another quill from his rear end. The sharpshooter braced himself on the table, promising himself over and over that he would never again try to take an apple from a giant porcupine rhinoceros.

Piper winced as another long barbed quill was dropped to the floor, accompanied by a yowl. "Wow, Finn. I knew you weren't very bright, but this…" She smiled and shook her head, sitting down to watch. "This is too much."

"I was hungry," the sharpshooter wailed. "The stupid beast didn't have to _smack _me like that! I only wanted a bite!"

Junko grinned cheerfully. "Don't worry, buddy. Only a few dozen more to go!"

Aerrow and Stork were busy outside installing a new rod into the damaged engine. The merb hung upside down from the engine's rim and Aerrow lay flat at its top, holding Stork's feet lest they slipped. Stork's voice echoed as he talked and worked. "It's a good thing those villagers were the friendly type. I thought we were fishbait when they burst out on us like that with their darts and spears!"

Aerrow flinched at the sound of Finn's faint yowls. "It's even better that they had engine parts. Well, I guess everyone has to collect something."

Stork latched the rod into place. "Took nearly all our spare crystals, though."

"We'll get by." Aerrow watched the merb tighten the bolts with a wrench. "How does it fit?"

"Like a glove. Help me up before I get fume poisoning." Aerrow hooked Stork's belt and helped him onto the engine's back. The merb's hands and face were streaked with grease, but he was too pleased with his work to notice. "That'll hold for another good ten years or so, considering it doesn't get blown again."

Aerrow went down the ladder first, followed by Stork. The sky knight cupped his hands around his mouth and called out to the open bridge window, "Hey Piper!"

Piper poked her head out. "Try her out!" Aerrow shouted. She nodded and withdrew. A moment later, the airship's engines came to life and began to rise. Stork and Aerrow backed away, shielding their faces from the blinding wind. The Condor was airborne once again.

The engines slowed and the airship once again settled down onto the forest floor. Piper poked her head out. "It sounds great! Let's go to Terra Neon to celebrate!"

"Alright, but let's go easy on the engines," Aerrow said as he and Stork walked up the ramp onto the bridge. "The last thing we want to happen is the entire thing blowing us out of the sky."

Stork took the controls. "Hopefully it won't blow anyways."

Finn rubbed his backside miserably as Junko plucked out the last quill. The wallop dropped it to join the hundred others scattered about his feet. "Last one. Don't worry, I'll sweep all this up before someone steps on them."

Finn rested his forehead on the table top for a moment, and then stood up. "Thanks, bud- YOW!" The sharpshooter clutched his foot and jumped around in agony, a quill deeply embedded in his heel.

Junko looked up from his sweeping. "Oh, missed that one."

Stork started the engines and the Condor rose over the tree tops, turned around, and then shot up and out. Far below, the moth fluttered its wings in content.

The fight for the power of Atmos has begun.

* * *

yeah yeah, a little slow, but just keep with me. i'm still a little weak with the plot right now, but it'll be good. i'm pretty good at making stuff up as I go. REVIEW!!


	36. The Spirit's Gift

The Spirit's Gift

sorry it's so short. i just like how it ends, so i'll try to make the next one much longer. for those of you who are hoplessly confused, don't worry. i'll explain as the characters learn. oh yeah, in order to understand this, you need to read **_everything!_** No skipping out on sentances because it's long or in italic writing!!!

* * *

The Condor's flight was noticeably smoother and quicker. Stork played the control back and forth from hand to hand, dodging clouds playfully. He felt light headed and happy. "And then, once we get to Terra Neon, I'm going to go to their spare parts shop and see if I can trade some of Junko's left over junk for another rod for the other engine. I never realized that this would make the Condor's engines work so well! And then, as for the busted right landing wheel, I'll see if they have a new tire."

Aerrow sat at the meeting table, his head propped up on his fist. He had been listening to Stork's excited chatter for the last half hour, the time since they had set off from Terra Amazonia. Sensing a pause in Stork's babble, the sky knight cut in. "I get the point, Stork."

Finn unplugged his ears. "Seriously, I never knew he could talk so much."

Junko turned from the engine room and plucked a ball of fluff from one ear. "Eh?"

Piper suddenly burst onto the bridge from her quarters, a scroll in hand. "Look at this!"

She flattened it out onto the table and Finn and Junko squashed Aerrow between them to see. Finn scanned the old parchment. "What about it? It's a map."

Piper pointed at a sketch in the corner of the parchment. "This is made of a sky cow's hide. It's dated back to over a thousand years ago."

Aerrow felt the material curiously. "Sky cows? They went extinct a long time ago!"

She tapped the sketch. "Do you recognize this?"

They all leaned close, squinting at the faded drawing on the yellow background. Junko scratched behind his ear. "It looks like a terra, a pretty big one. But why isn't it colored in at all?"

Piper traced the terra's outline fondly. "It's Terra Odranoel."

Their heads snapped to the side to look at her. "Odranoel? But that place is…"

Aerrow straightened, laughing softly. "Piper, you have really outdone yourself this time. Where did you find this antique?"

"I was digging around under my bed, you know, cleaning it out and stuff like that. It was so dirty that I moved the entire mattress to get behind it, and I found an old sheet of metal that looked different than the rest. So I took a crowbar from the hanger bay, and pried it out." Piper waved at the map. "This was inside."

Stork couldn't see. He had caught a glimpse of the sketched terra, but then Junko stood in the way. The merb leaned from side to side, trying to peer past the people hunched over the table. Curious, he switched the control of autopilot and took a step in their direction.

Immediately a wave of pain washed over him and he doubled over, holding his head. Occupied, the others didn't notice. Stork stared at the floor wide eyed, his breathing regulating. What was that all about?

_He faintly remembered a moth, limp and injured, in his hand. He set it on the ground and turned back to get something. Behind him, the moth stirred._

Stork fell to one knee, gritting his teeth.

_The moth was enveloped in a white mist that brought it upright, stretched it out and the moth became a hauntingly beautiful women. He turned, and fell with his back to the tree, terrified._

Urgent voices sounded blurred and gargled. Stork fell to both knees, and his vision flickered on and off. He dimly felt a hand on his shoulder and someone lowering him to the ground. The hard floor was cold.

_The winged women touched him, and he slumped there in unconsciousness._

He remembered. He recalled everything.

Stork opened his eyes and, panting, sat up. He looked up at the panicked faces of his companions, and then pressed his fingers to his forehead. "It's alright. I'm fine."

"_Fine?!" _Finn slapped his forehead. "You just passed out!"

Stork pushed him away. "I said I'm fine!"

Aerrow stumbled back as the merb leaped up and ran for the door. It slammed behind him, closely followed by another slam.

They all looked dumbly at each other.

* * *

Hours ticked by. The Condor was secured firmly between two cliffs in a small, uninhabited terra halfway between Terra Amazonia and Terra Neon. The night was cold, but calm, and there was no strong wind to rock the airship to and fro.

Aerrow and the others had stayed up until one o'clock trying to coax Stork from his quarters, but it didn't work. Finally they retreated wearily to their rooms and soon the airship was dead silent and asleep. Except for one.

Stork was wide awake, though not aware of it. He curled up in a ball on the floor, a sheet tangled around his feet and his hands clutching his head. The throbbing in his head was overwhelming, so strong that his entire body convulsed. His muscles ached, his heart beat like a racing greyhound's, and he continuously retched. Stork stared in horror at the floor. What was happening to him?

A huge wave of pain came from within his brain to wash down his spine. The agony was so intense that his vision went dim and he went rigid in shock. A vein stood out from this thin neck. Another wave. Pain. A soundless scream. Convulse. Wave. Agony. Unable to call for help. Pain!

Finally Stork slipped into the black abyss of his exhausted mind and lay still like a broken doll. The night outside was as black as a well.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

Three beeps emitted from his clock where it lay clattered on the floor, swept from his nightstand in one of Stork's pain fueled thrashes. Three o'clock.

Stork slept soundly.

_He found himself enveloped in white fog. He was standing upright, and yet he could feel the floor pressed against his back. The fog was so thick he could actually feel it in his fingers. What was this place?_

_The fog faded. He found himself standing on a terra. A transparent terra. The merb looked about in fascination. No, it wasn't transparent. It was real… solid. He walked carefully over to a lump that looked like a rock. He touched it. It was so smooth it was slippery. It wasn't crystal, but glass. Stork straightened and looked about in fascination. The entire terra was made of glass._

_Huge pillars jutted up from the perfectly smooth ground. A light mist floated about the place, making it seem like a dream. Stork shook his head, shutting his eyes tightly. It was a dream. It _had _to be!_

_And yet when he opened his eyes, the glass terra was still there. The merb swallowed hard, and took a step forward. Suddenly he was swept away across the glass with a startled yelp, cool wind whipping past his face. The unseen force pushing him ushered him toward the heart of the terra, the center. A huge plateau, made entirely of glass, loomed up high into the white sky. Stork was rushed toward it._

_There was no way to dig in his heels to halt his rush. Just as he squeezed his eyes shut and prepared for impact with the diamond hard side of the huge landform, he was halted. Moments passed, and Stork ventured an eye open. He was alive._

_There was no crack or blemish that he could see in the glass. It was perfect, flawless, turning the unseen sun's rays into rainbows. It was like heaven. Wait… Stork slapped a hand to his chest. Was he dead?!_

_Something gleamed. The merb squinted against the brilliance of the surrounding glass. There was something there in the plateau's wall. Nah, it was nothing._

_He received a little push from behind, causing him to stumble forward and closer to the wall. Then he saw it._

_It was about as big as Stork's fist, perfectly round and looked like a giant pearl. It was an amber color, yet a soft gold in the sun's rays. Stork felt drawn to it. He came closer. The orb had the atmosphere of a living creature, but how could this thing be alive? The merb reached out to touch it, and it came more into focus. It was wedged tightly into the glass wall, millions of tiny and large cracks running from where it was as if someone had simply slammed into the wall._

_Stork's fingers hovered just over the orb's surface. His index finger rose from the rest and he gently, cautiously, rested the tip onto the pearl-like surface._

_The orb changed. The amber receded into its center and the color became milky white. Red veins ran from pole to pole and, at the pole facing Stork, formed a black circle, surrounded by a gold ring. It was a pupil and an iris. This thing was an eye._

_The merb shrieked and jerked his hand back. He lost his balance in his panic and slipped backwards. The invisible force snatched his foot and began to tow him at top speed in the opposite direction; toward the edge of the terra. _

_Storks' fingers clenched helplessly at the ice smooth surface of the terra. Whatever was dragging him hurled him from the edge of the terra, and the merb screamed. _

_Suddenly he was caught, and lifted high for a bird's eye view of the glass terra. He gawked at it for a moment, and then the entire scene vanished. Then he turned, and found a hand around his throat. Dark Ace laughed evilly and squeezed. Stork grasped the Talon's wrist helplessly as his life was drained away… down… down… down…_

_Into the eye._

Stork's eyes snapped open. He understood everything now.

* * *

Review!!! 


	37. Stork's dream

Stork's dream

Stork's dream

i am sooooooooo sorry for the delay! sniff, i hope you don't all hate me now. anyway, it's a little short, but enjoy anyway.

* * *

Aerrow, haven been wakened along with the others at four in morning by Stork, sat at the table, head propped up by his arm, and listened to the merb excitedly describe his dream in great detail. Stork couldn't rush his words from his mouth fast enough.

Piper, just as tired as Aerrow, waited until Stork's babbling slowed, and then cut in. "Stork, this is just a dream. Why are you telling us this?"

"Yeah," Finn whined, hair disheveled and eyes red rimmed. "I dreamed that I was butt naked at Terra Atmosia in front of the council. Then my underwear tried to eat me, said that it was put up with me wearing it twenty four seven, but I don't wake you all up to tell you."

Stork glowered. "This wasn't a dream! Well, yes it was, but not really. The spirit gave it to me!"

They all gaped at him. Piper scratched her chin. "Spirit?"

Finn shook his head. "The merb's lost it."

"No! No! No!" Stork snapped. "That moth! The one I found in the ditch! With the flyberries!" He scowled. "Wait, let me start over. When I went down in that ditch for the flyberries, I found a moth in a spiderweb and I took it out since I felt sorry for it and then I set it on the ground and then it suddenly became a white winged lady. The lady told me that she would give me a gift for my kindness." He took a deep breath, and then concluded, "And I think I just dreamed it."

Junko didn't get it. The wallop rubbed his head. "I'm confused. What does the gift have to do with your dream?"

"The dream _is_ the gift!" Stork shook the wallop. "Don't you get it? That transparent, glass, see-through whatever it is terra!" He released Junko and pointed down to the table where the map was still outspread. "That terra that you mentioned earlier, Piper, the one that isn't colored in. It's it!"

"What?" Aerrow couldn't resist a chuckle. "Stork, this map's ancient, and Terra Odranoel doesn't exist anymore."

Stork gazed down at the sketch. "What happened to it?"

"No one really knows," Piper took over. "One day it was there, that strange transparent terra, and then the next it wasn't. The few books I've read with any information on Odranoel says that it is made of glass."

Stork tapped the sketch. "I saw something else than just glass." He fell silent, as if trying to remember.

Finn wiped a string of drool from his lip. "Just say what you need to say and let's get back to bed. I'm tired!"

Piper nudged him hard. "Shut up, Finn." She turned back to Stork. "What else did you see?"

The merb stroked his chin thoughtfully. "I don't really know. It's kinda hard to explain and it's kinda fuzzy."

Aerrow got up. "Just a sec." He disappeared down the hallway, and then reappeared a moment later with a sheet of paper and a pencil. "Try drawing it."

Stork took the pencil hesitantly. "I'm not the best with drawing." He put the tip onto the paper, and then drew a circle. He shaded in the sides, and then drew little cracks running from it. "It was in this glass cliff as if someone had just taken it and slammed it in. It was an amber color, or gold, I'm not sure. Then I touched it, and it became like this," He drew another circle beside the first one, this time adding another smaller circle inside it. He sketched little veins around it, and put down the pencil. "It was like a big eyeball. The iris was gold, and it _looked _at me as if it were alive!"

Finn propped his head up onto the table. "Someone should cover his ears in case the rest of his brain dribbles out."

"Finn, this is serious," Stork snapped.

Junko shivered as he leaned over to inspect Stork's sketch. "An eyeball on a see-thru terra? Sounds more like a nightmare than a dream to me."

Piper slid the paper closer. "Is there anything else besides this, uh, eyeball?"

Stork raked his brain for details. "Uh… Dark Ace. He strangled me."

They all gaped at him. "Wha?"

Stork pointed at his throat. "Dark Ace. He strangled me."

"He… strangled you," Aerrow said slowly. "And then what?"

"Did Frosty the snowman come along, skewer you with an icicle, and roast you over a bonfire?"

Stork raised an eyebrow at Junko's question. "No. Why?"

Junko trembled. "Then I'm the only one…"

Piper slammed her palm on the table top. "Seriously guys! After Dark Ace, eh, strangled you… what then?"

"And then…" Stork thought hard. "I felt my life being sucked down into that eye. And then I woke up."

Silence. Finn broke it. "Nice dream. Sounds pleasant."

Stork frowned. "Nothing about that makes sense?"

Piper shook her head slowly. "Sure, Terra Odranoel, but I know nothing about a giant… eye."

"Forget the eye," Stork said impatiently. "I don't know what that was all about, but what about the terra?"

"Like I said before, it just disappeared," Piper repeated. "A lot of people searched for it in the exact location where it once was, but they've given up years ago when all they found were wastelands, air, and clouds. For all I know, it's gone."

"Or…" Stork tapped his lip. "How 'bout invisible?"

"Even if the terra is invisible," Piper objected. "Someone would have still been able to land on it, or at least have run into it."

"Well," Stork waved his arms. "I _know _what I saw! If you don't believe me, then fine!"

Aerrow had grown too curious to let Stork stop. The sky knight grabbed the merb's wrist as he turned to go. "Wait, wait."

Stork sat back down.

"So what you're saying is…" Aerrow said slowly. "You dreamed the way to a long lost terra that's invisible and lost, and on that invisible terra is an eyeball that is somehow alive?"

"Uh," Stork thought it over. "Yeah. Pretty much."

Aerrow pushed himself from the table, a bright smile lighting up his face. "Sweet! Looks like we're on a treasure hunt!"

Junko perked up. "Treasure! I love treasure hunts!"

Finn, his gripping about his need for his bed forgotten, rubbed his hands together. "Mmm… treasure."

"Wait, before we get all excited," Piper spoke up, the only one sitting besides Stork. "Let's think this over. This is just something Stork dreamed up. It could just be a normal, simple dream. Plus, earlier this day, Stork passed out and dreamed that a moth suddenly turned into a lady. It might just be a side affect."

Stork snorted. "That was real!"

Finn, arms crossed and mouth open in an are-you-done-yet way, cut them off with a careless wave. "Oh, c'mon! what if it _is _real? You're just going to pass up a free trip to the rich life? If there're weird goldish eyeballs floating around this place, then who knows what else could be there!"

Junko agreed whole-heartedly. "Hchah! There could be flame corn, or… or a gravy buffet! Oh yeah!"

Finn giggled, hopping from one foot to the other. "Or shiny, sparkly, priceless big chunks of fame and fortune!"

Piper crossed her arms smugly. "Or there could just be a giant eyeballs."

Finn stopped. "Well, that's no fun."

Piper shook her head at the boys. "This is crazy. We're going to fly around aimlessly looking for an invisible terra that Stork just happened to dream up?"

"But I _didn't _dream this up!" Stork snapped at her, and then he turned to the others. "And this _isn't _just a stupid treasure hunt! This is serious! There was Dark Ace! Cyclonia!"

Aerrow looked surprised. "So? Dark Ace pops up everywhere."

Stork's gaze dropped down to the floor.

_Suddenly he was caught, and lifted high for a bird's eye view of the glass terra. He gawked at it for a moment, and then the entire scene vanished. Then he turned, and found a hand around his throat. Dark Ace laughed evilly and squeezed. Stork grasped the Talon's wrist helplessly as his life was drained away… down… down… down…_

_Into the eye._

"Stork?"

"Huh?" The merb looked back up.

Piper and the others were looking at him strangely. "You've been just standing there and staring at the floor for 'bout five minutes."

"I have-" Stork's spine suddenly went rigid and his friends vanished.

_He saw the terra, the same one as before, at the bird's eye view. The invisible force keeping him in the air turned him slightly to the right, and then to the left. The bright whiteness surrounding the terra slowly darkened, and colors began to show through. Below, the wastelands formed, and the sky showed through. Stork watched, amazed, as a terra formed in the background, no more than a dozen miles from Terra Odranoel. It was terra…_

"Atmosia," Stork said breathlessly. His eyes snapped open, and he found himself staring up at Aerrow, who was kneeling beside him. He lifted his head slowly, feeling the throb in the back of his head where he had hit it on the floor. "Oh… not again. Sorry."

Piper pressed her hand to her chest in relief. "Oh, good. I thought you were sick again."

"No. I just had another vision," Stork said, brushing Aerrow's steadying hand from his shoulder.

Finn crossed his arms huffily. "Visions? Oh, so now you're psychic?"

Stork sprang up. "Why won't you all believe me? It's the gift! She has given me the way to Terra Odranoel!"

Junko was the only one who really believed the angry merb. "Where is it? Is it really invisible?"

"It _must _be. According to the vision, Terra Odranoel is right next door to Atmosia!"

"What?" Finn dismissed the idea. "Everyone's been flying back and forth, up and down all over that area. Someone would have eventually run into it."

"Well that's what I saw," Storks snapped.

Aerrow hated taking sides, but he didn't see the logic. "Finn's actually right Stork, there's no way this terra could be there."

Piper took Stork's wrist as the merb took a threatening step toward the sky knight. "Calm down, Stork. We'll go there and do a complete circle, nice and low, where you saw the terra. But I can almost guarantee that it won't be there."

"If it's not," Aerrow took a step away from the helmsman just in case. "Then we're bringing you to Terra Atmosia to get checked out. I don't think flyberries caused this."

"That's because they didn't!" Stork shrieked, waving his arms. "The spirit touched me and she granted me a gift! I know where Terra Odranoel is and where it's not!"

"Alright, alright." Aerrow stood back. "Go fly us to Atmosia."

"Thank you!" Stork brushed past him to the controls and immediately broke the Condor out of hover, and veered them around.

"It's the middle of the night," Finn hissed to Aerrow. "I can't sleep well when Stork's jerking the ship around and stuff."

Aerrow walked past him toward his quarters. "It's either that, or you can listen to Stork complain all night."

Piper followed the sky knight. "I'm with Aerrow. I'm too tired to deal with him any longer." She stopped and looked back at the merb hunched over the controls. "Hey Junko? Do you think you can stay here and sleep at the table? Just in case Stork falls over again?"

The kind hearted wallop sat back down at the table. "Sure thing. I don't mind."

She gave him a grateful smile. "Thanks."

* * *

Morning arrived, splashing the eastern horizon with bright shades of red and purple. Aerrow rose reluctantly, feeling the lack of sleep from the night's interruption. The sky knight slid from his bed and ruffled his hair, groaning as he recalled Stork's dream. Sometimes, he wondered if the merb really was sick.

The sky knight looked up at a knock at his door. It slid open and Finn poked his head in. "Hey, sleep good?"

Aerrow stood up slowly, rubbing his back. "Ugh… not really."

The sharpshooter leaned against the door. "Guess where we are?"

He quickly calculated the distance from where they were last night to the distance to Atmosia. "Uh… somewhere over the wastelands by Saharr?"

Finn shook his head with a small, sad smile. "I didn't think you'd guess. Even I couldn't believe it." He pointed downwards. "Right now, we're hovering in neutral, right over Atmosia's eastern dock."

"_What?_!" Aerrow nearly knocked the sharpshooter over in his mad dash from his room. He threw the door open and ran onto the bridge, right past Piper and Junko and stopped at the windshield. He pressed his forehead to the glass and peered down. A huge dock, crowded by hundreds of people the size of ants and crates and ships of numerous sizes, greeted him.

"B-but how?" Aerrow turned from the window to face the others. "We were on the opposite side of Atmos last night!"

"He did it," Junko said, pointing to the figure of Stork curled up at the table seat, snoring.

Aerrow's eye twitched. "He drove all night?"

"Uuuuuuuuh… yeah. Pretty much." Junko rubbed the back of his neck. "I _was _watching him, but I kinda fell asleep 'bout an hour after you guys left."

Aerrow noticed Piper's blank, slightly creeped out stare. "What?"

Finn, hair disheveled from nearly being run over by Aerrow, pointed at him. "You're in your panties, dude."

"In my…" Aerrow looked down. "Oh…"

* * *

Just had to add the last part in. REVIEW!!


	38. Questions and the Truth

Questions and the truth

heh heh, loooooooooooong wait. We might be moving, school, i had the flu, friends, pets, blahblahblah and im writing two other stories beside this one. Anyway, review. hopefully you'll like it and, remember, pllllllleeeeeeeaaaase do not skip around! you'll miss info!

* * *

The Atmosian council peered down at the squadron from the balcony, obviously a bit surprised at their strange request.

The lead council adjusted his tiny glasses at the tip of his sharp nose. "You want to know about Terra Odranoel? What happened that would stir up your curiosity about such a place?"

Piper, the elected spokesperson of the team, clasped her hands in front of her and did her best to look innocent. "We heard the most fascinating tale about a man's grandfather's voyage to the terra at a shanty in the Saharr quadrant. It was so interesting; we'd just like to know more."

The council withdrew so far from the balcony's edge that the team could only see the top of their balding heads. They talked and scratched their scalps and stroked their chins, none getting any point in amid their arguing. Aerrow tried to cut in. "Sorry, we didn't know it was such a big deal…"

A noble looking man sitting at the end of the balcony, the only one not participating with the others, leaned over the rail to speak. "Terra Odranoel is indeed interesting, but you do realize that it's gone, right?"

"Yes, we do," Piper replied.

He leaned back in his chair. "Then there is no use in chasing after spilt milk. Why don't you kids go catch some cloud krill? You can get a decent pay at the market."

Piper halted Finn's outburst and stood in front of the fuming sharpshooter. "You misunderstood our intentions, sir. We-"

The man cut her off. "You young people are all the same. You hear a legend, chase after it with high hopes, and then come back to us broken and scarred with half your squadron dead or missing forever. Believe me when I say it; some things are just better to be left alone, especially legends like Terra Odranoel."

Another, a short man, spoke up. "Not to mention that there's an old law in Atmos records that prohibits serious information of Odranoel to be given out. If you want to know anything, then look in the 'Terras of Atmos' by Richrey Gibsonn."

The lead council adjusted his glasses. "There have been four sky knight squadrons in the past fifty years who had ignored the law and gone off to their deaths in their search for Terra Odranoel. Only two of these twenty one men came back, and were arrested for life." They all leaned forward menacingly. "You don't want that to happen to you, now do you?"

Piper was pale. "Uh… okay. That's enough info for today. Thank you, sirs." She took Aerrow's arm and led the team out from the room.

Once the heavily decorated double doors shut behind them, Finn burst, "go catch some cloud krill? Who does that man think he is? I'll catch some alright, and stuff it down his big mouth!"

Piper hastily covered his mouth. "They could still hear us, _Finn._"

She dragged him a ways until they were outside. The sun was shining, birds were singing, and their vehicles were hot to the touch as Aerrow swung onto his bike. "Stork isn't going to like this."

Piper released Finn. He glumly retreated to his own bike and she sat in her heliscooter. "Well, it's either that or we become criminals and get arrested for life." She looked down at the ground. "Something's wrong with that terra, and I'm not about to go against a century old law of Atmosia to find out."

Junko shuddered. "Only two out of all those men survived? What's wrong with that terra?"

Aerrow shook his head. "Something that the council doesn't want us to know. And, hearing the consequences, I think it's for the best."

* * *

"What?" Stork demanded.

Aerrow flinched at the merb's outburst. "That's what they said, Stork. Word for word."

Piper sat at the table, flipping through her book of terras. "The book that one man recommended is the one I already own. No more than we already know."

Finn lifted a headphone, filling the bridge with unreasonably loud rock music. "And I don't think any of us are up to getting killed over some invisible terra, some giant eyeball, and your screwed up little nightmares, Stork."

Stork raised a threatening hand toward the sharpshooter. "I'm going to strangle you, Finn."

Finn released the raised headphone and the music was muffled. "Sorry, what?"

Stork turned back to the others. "I'm serious, guys. I know, just for some reason, that we need to find that terra, and fast!" He rubbed the back of his skull. "I'm getting Atmosian skull infliction, a sure sign of anxiety."

Junko looked up from reading over Piper's shoulder. "Maybe we should ask Starling."

Aerrow gazed out the window. "No, she's over on the opposite side of Atmos right now with the cadets. It'd be useless trying to call her up."

Stork, not in the least bit happy, crossed his arms huffily and looked from face, to face, to face in disbelief. "So that's it?"

They all looked at him. "What do you mean?"

The merb spread his arms out. "We're the great and mighty Storm Hawks. We go where no one has ever gone before and back. We've defeated the famed Dark Ace countless times, take on other villains like Ravess and Snipe, Repton and his brothers, and we always come out the victor. We've defeated a Morphing Crystal, kicked Stajj and his clan's butts, and we totally defeated the worst enemy Atmos has ever seen."

Aerrow didn't like how Stork was adding it all up. "Yeah?"

Stork's yellow eyes narrowed. "So we're going to let a few stories and a council obsessed with rules stop us from going on what may be the best adventure of our lives?"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Finn burst in, mouth smeared with chocolate pudding. "You're usually the one discouraging the best adventures of our lives!"

Stork adverted his face from Finn's. "This is different. Now wash your face."

Finn, offended, walked away and sat in a corner. "It's just pudding…"

Piper flipped through the book, discouraged. "Same information…. Same information… Stork, this isn't going to work."

The merb clenched his fists as if pure will could change their minds. "But I _know _we can find it!"

Aerrow's patience wore thin. "Why are you so obsessed with finding this terra anyway? Usually you're complaining about missions."

"We gotta find it before someone else does," Stork responded. "Don't ask me how I know, I just do."

The sky knight crossed his arms. "And who, may I ask, could find it first? I thought only you knew how to find it."

"I don't know how to find it or where it is. I just know some details, that's all." Stork pressed his fingers to his forehead. "I wish I knew more…"

"Like if those visions of yours are driving you crazy?" Finn had recovered from his pride injury.

Stork fixed him with a dirty look. "No, Finn. _You're _the one driving me crazy."

Finn went back to his corner. "I'm only trying to help…"

Piper closed the heavy book with a wham, startling them all and sending a cloud of fine dust blowing up into Junko's face. "I think I know somewhere that we can go to settle ourselves." She leaned an elbow on the book's leather cover. "Let's go to Skyside Shanty."

* * *

Skyside Shanty, located just above the clouds, was teeming with pirates and sky fishers as it always was, especially in the morning. The Storm Hawks walked in, noting with some satisfaction that only half of the tavern's occupants turned to stare instead of the usual… everyone.

The waitress looked up from wiping the counter with a greasy rag as they stood silently at the doorway. "Ah, you again. Why you come here so often? You Sky Knight usually go to Terra Atmosia for breakfast."

Aerrow sat himself down wearily at a stained table close by. "Sometimes, a guy just needs a break."

She turned, scooped up a platter from the window sill and stretched across the counter to place it on the table top. Flies buzzed around the unappetizing array. "Thought your wallop would come with you. Got ready just in case."

Junko plopped down beside Aerrow and tucked in whole heartedly. "Hohoho! We really should come here more often!"

The waitress put down her rag and netted her fingers beneath her chin, narrowing her eyes. "So, what brings you this ways, Storm Hawks?"

A cloaked man, a big, ragged hat pulled low over his face, turned his sharp eyes to the table behind him. He licked his cracked lips, a hiss escaping from between his gaped teeth. "Storm Hawks?" Quickly he turned back to his drink, but kept one ear tuned in on the conversation going on behind him.

Aerrow sighed. "Ah, nothing much. We've been bored out of our mind for a few months now, and just when I thought things were going to get exciting again, it turned out to be nothing."

Stork grunted unhappily.

The waitress straightened her back. "Well, maybe I can help. I've heard so many adventures from people all over Atmos that it could put your books to shame."

"That wouldn't be hard," Finn grumbled.

"It's Terra…" Piper lowered her voice to a whisper. "Odranoel."

The eavesdropping man nearly dropped his drink. He swiftly steadied himself, glanced around to reassure himself he was the only one who heard, and then hunched in close to the table. "Ah, Odranoel…" He put the rim of the tankard to his lips in satisfaction.

The waitress appeared more startled than the Atmosian Council. "Odranoel? That cursed place? What would you want with that legend?"

Aerrow gestured at Stork. "He thinks he knows how to find it."

She didn't seem all that convinced as she eyed the young merb. "He does, eh? Weren't you the one with Sky Shock the first time you came here? Made you go all crazy like?"

Aerrow rescued his pilot from further embarrassment. "The thing is; why can't Terra Odranoel be found anymore?"

The waitress shrugged. "Been gone for centuries. Never concerned myself with thinking up a reason."

"What if it's not gone? Just… invisible?"

She cocked her head thoughtfully. "Hmm… could say that that sounds crazier than a cloud krill eating a leviathan, but I suppose it's possible. A lot of things I've heard don't have a logical explanation, and yet are true."

Aerrow glanced at Piper for encouragement. She urged him on with a nod. He turned back eagerly. "What about the stuff that the terra is made of? Is it ice or something else?"

A light sprang up in the waitress' eyes. "Ah! An answer I can give you. The entire terra is rumored to be made of pure glass. Noth'n but glass. Has no native crystals, no noth'n. Everything, even its trees, if they're really alive, are made of solid glass."

"So there's nothing but glass?"

She thought deeply for a long moment. "Nah, that's it from what I've heard. Noth'n but glass."

"Absolutely nothing?"

The waitress became impatient. "Look, what do you want? The Terra's solid glass! Do you want to find it and hack away pieces to sell at a market or somethin'?"

"No!" The sky knight denied it firmly.

A winning smile stole over her face. "Ah, but you do want to find it, eh?"

"You wouldn't be fooled if I said no."

"Well, you have gone through a lot and survived," the waitress said. "The way you took on the leviathan really surprised me. I suppose you know all the stories of the sky knight squadrons who chased after this Terra?"

Piper nodded slowly. "Only two survived."

Junko took a green leg of some kind of amphibian meat from his mouth and pored more vinegar on it. "Out of four squadrons."

The waitress shook her head grimly. "That place is a death trap to any who dream of catching it. Wither it's destroyed, invisible, flying, or shrunk, I really think it's best left alone." She absentmindedly picked up a smeared mug and polished it with the greasy rag. "Not to mention it's against Atmosian law…"

The sky knight stayed her hand. "But do you think it's possible?"

The waitress met his eyes. She held his gaze for a long moment, and then clenched her fists so hard that they turned white and the mug threatened to crack. "Aw, man, I sure hope I'm doing to the right thing." She gestured for them to come close. They all leaned in. The waitress cupped her mouth and hissed, "a man came by not too long ago. Said his name was Corwyin and that he was from the Terra Odranoel. Took four drinks of our strongest and started to blabber to me about some adventure he had. Poor guy, he was scarred beyond human and mad as a frog. Old too, so old that he must have been on his last legs when he left this place. Haven't seen him since."

Finn swallowed hard. "And?"

The waitress glanced behind her. "his babblings were mostly nonsense, but I made out something that sounded like it could be possible." She turned back. "He was flying along in his rusty ole heliscooter when he spotted somethin'. He said at first he thought it was a mirage, says he, but then it became too clear and stable to be a fake. It was all weirdly messed together as if it were a chunk of thick ice, and yet an unmistakable landmark since it was not far from Terra Saharr. Any ice would had melted right away in the heat. He flew after it in hopes of catching up, but suddenly, it was gone. Vanished. Went as soon as it appeared. All what was left were clouds and the Saharr."

"Wait, you said that he tried to 'catch up?'" Aerrow asked.

The waitress shrugged. "From how he said it, it sounded like the entire terra was moving. I dunno if it was slow or fast, but there you go."

"Corwyin? Is that his name?"

"That's what he told me."

In an instant the sky knight was running for the door. "Thanks for all your help!"

The others quickly followed. "Yeah, thanks!"

Junko alone was left at the lonely table, a fork loaded with spicy eyeballs halfway to his mouth. The waitress' cold gaze flicked from the backs of the vanishing squadron to the wallop sitting before her. "So… about that bill…"

Junko looked down at his platter. "Uh…"

* * *

Cyclonia was enveloped in one of the nastiest storms of the week, black clouds swirling above it's highest point like ghastly vultures and lighting streaking across the sky like blinding slashes in the heavens. Talons patrolled every floor and the daily patrols flew back and forth on their duties despite the lashing rain.

A lone heliscooter, red with rust and half blown apart from abuse, wobbled dangerously close to the deadly spikes jutting from the milky fog filling Cyclonia's moat. The man at its controls, hat pulled low over his eyes, laughed breathlessly as the wind nearly blew him from his seat, shaking his fists up in the air and steering the vehicle with his knee. "Cyclonia! I am here! I am here!"

Two talons, patrolling the ground levels of Cyclonia's base, pulled in their vehicles to a hover as the crazed man flew in closer. One nudged the other. "It's him again."

His companion wielded his spear. "Wanna see if I can shoot him right off the seat?"

"No," the other said unhappily, flinching as the heliscooter veered downward. "We had better take him to the Dark Ace. Whatever this guy's doing here, it has to be important."

His companion was doubtful. "You sure it won't be another one of his long stories of gibberish? He must have lost his sense back in his sky knight days."

"Terra Odranoel," the other grunted as they flew in close to their visitor. "Who wouldn't? He should be dead!"

* * *

Dark Ace stood tall under a rock ledge as the old man tottered from his heliscooter and stumbled toward him, grimy hands outstretched. "I heard them. They have a plan. They know where it is!"

He hunched over at Dark Ace's feet, nibbling on a black fingernail. Dark Ace couldn't help but curl a lip at the old man's presence. "Spit it out. Do you have something to say or did you get shot again?"

The lead Talon recoiled in horror as the man grabbed at his feet. "Odranoel, my beautiful. You're still alive. I knew it to be true."

Dark Ace regained his posture and shook the man's greasy hands from his foot. "This again? I've told you before, you old fool. Your precious terra's gone. You lost your squadron, remember?"

The man rocked back and forth, shaded eyes filmed over. "No, no. Corwyin, that rascal, he's alive. We're alive…"

Dark Ace had enough. Pulling his warm cloak tighter around his shoulders, he nodded to two talons waiting nearby. "Send him back where he came from. I don't want to hear him ever again."

Suddenly the man realized that he wasn't getting through. He began to cry, wither from joy or disbelief or no reason at all. "Storm Hawks, my king! They know! They know! Corwyin, that rascal!" He raised his tear stained face. "It's raining!"

Dark Ace stayed the two talons. "Repeat."

He began to rock back and forth again. "Skyside Shanty, the Storm Hawks go there." He looked up at Dark Ace and crackled. "Oh, but you know that, don't you. Yes, you are one…"

"No, I'm not anymore, you old fool," Dark Ace said impatiently. "How do the Storm Hawks know? What do they know?"

The old man turned his crying to laughter. He raised his hands and sat down, smiling happily up. "That's the question, now isn't it? Hahahahaha!"

Outside, just a few stories up, a talon turned to his companion. "You hear something, George?"

His companion shivered in the rain. "No, Fred.

* * *

Fred and George joke from PART TWO. couldn't resist bringing them in again. REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW!!


	39. chapter 39

Chapter 6

I couldn't think of a chapter name for this, sorry. Once again, i apologize for the long wait. I haven't quit this story and I won't. i'll probably have more time now that summer's coming up. anyways, this chapter is for my big sister's High School graduation and is dedicated to her favorite character. It's not very long, but i just thought the place I ended was good.

* * *

_Knock. Knock._

Wren opened the door a crack to peer out from the safe sanctuary of his farmhouse. Even if the nearby Cyclonian base was destroyed and the local sky knights were free, he never took chances. For all he knew, the Darn Ace could once again swoop down and snatch his beloved Dove again. Or perhaps a gang of raptors stood waiting to run him through with their sickle shaped swords. Or…

Wren opened the door wider at the sight of his visitors. "Chickenhawks?"

Aerrow smiled. "Stormhawks."

Dove's voice came from within the house. "Granpapa? Who is it?"

Wren turned and called back, "Stormhawks, the ones who saved you from the clutches of Cyclonia!" He turned with a huge smiled. "Taking care of my wind stone?"

"We didn't come for a chat, sir," Aerrow said seriously. "We came with some questions that we thought you might be able to answer."

"Ah, mysteries," Wren stepped from the doorway and motioned them in. "Without them, the world would be too straight forward."

Dove sat in a hand carved chair as he Stormhawks filed into their small, but comfortable house. Finn leaned against the backrest and winked at her. "I came here for you."

The house was indeed a comfortable place a large fireplace took up the center of the back wall and numerous plants spilled from shelves set close to the ceiling. The kitchen was little more than a countertop, but was painstakingly decorated in such elaborate carvings that it outdid even the Condor's. Windows were little portholes and the floor was hard-packed earth. Aerrow liked it.

"We really should remodel the Condor," Piper murmured to him. He had to agree.

Wren nudged a toaster behind the counter to join a pile of other appliances. Ammo. "If you had known that we were to have guests, we would have cleaned a little…"

A chicken, strutting pass the open door, fluttered her eyelids at Radarr. The sky monkey whimpered and curled around his master's neck as Aerrow sat cross-legged on the floor. "Sorry to drop in on you like this, but we need answers." The others joined him (except Finn, who was busy making goo-goo eyes at Dove).

Wren slipped onto a stool. "Fire away."

"It's about an event that happened quite a few years ago," Aerrow said slowly, not wanting to offend the retired sky knight by calling him old. "Perhaps, fifty, sixty years ago."

"Ah, I was naught but a young lad then," Wren said, leaning back and stroking his whiskers. "But I still may be able to help."

Piper unfolded a paper and held it out to him. He took it. "We want to know about this terra."

"Dove, go get my reading glasses," Wren said, squinting closely at Piper's sketch. She complied, much to Fin's dismay, and disappeared down the single hall containing their rooms.

"The sky knight council won't let us attempt a quest to find it, and no one else seems to know just what exactly happened with the few squadrons who tired. They all just say the terra… suddenly disappeared."

Dove reappeared and set the small spectacles on her grandfather's nose. She glanced at the sketch curiously.

"Ah… there's only one terra that went missing with no explanation," Wren said, holding Piper's map close to his eyes. "Terra Odranoel."

"So you know about it?" Aerrow said hopefully.

"I remember," Wren sighed, his eyes clouding over as he reached down into his memories. "I was twelve, mebbe ten when it happened. The Altitude Flyers and the Sky Dragons, two famous, brave, daring squadrons that had completed many impossible feats, chased after the legend of the vanished terra. More than a hundred years earlier, two other squadrons attempted the same and were never seen again. I, like many others of my age, idolized them and waited breathlessly for them to return with another one of their amazing victories, but we heard none of either squads for months. When news came from Atmosia nearly a year of disappearance, it came in the form of two dithering, crazed rats who had returned home in one single half-destroyed heliscooter. They were all that were left of my heroes. Immediately the Atmosian council destroyed all books containing facts about the terra and put down a strict law prohibiting anymore fools from attempting their failed quest. I wish now I paid more attention in geography class before the law, then I would have more to share with you."

Piper's pencil fairly flew across her notbook as she jotted down his story. "That's a better version than what I've heard, but it's still missing so much. What made the terra disappear?"

"Hmm," Wren tapped the countertop. "That, I'm not sure. But whatever it is, must be pretty powerful to hid an entire terra for so long. It's rumored that the terra is made out of glass."

"Powerful?" Piper asked. "You mean like a crystal?"

Wren shrugged. "My guess."

Aerrow glanced to where Stork, who reluctantly left his beloved Condor on autopilot, sat against eh wall. "What about… an eye?"

Wren gaped at him.

The sky knight quickly went on. "Have you ever know anything about an orb, perfectly round and kind of an amberish color, that looks like an eyeball?"

Wren gaped at him.

"Never mind, just forget it," Aerrow said, a little embarrassed. "Do you know what happened to the two men who came back?"

_Thump. _Chickens squawked and a few came running inside through the open door. Feathers flew in their panic. Wren hit the counter with his fist. "It's that stray sky shark again! Ever since it lost its pack it's been preying on my chickens!"

Aerrow began to rise and draw an energy blade. "I'll get-"

"No, I'll take care of it," Junko said kindly. "You guys carry on. I'm just sitting here anyways."

Aerrow returned his knife the its sheath. "Thanks, buddy."

The kind wallop headed for the door. "No problem. I'll be right back."

Aerrow turned back to Wren. "So, about the survivors…"

Stork leaned toward Finn. "Shouldn't Junko be sneezing if there's a sky shark around?"

* * *

Junko strode from the farmhouse, scattering the disturbed flock of chickens. "Here, sharky, sharky, sharky!"

There was no sky shark in sight. The wallop turned in a slow circle, looking up at the sky and sniffing loudly. There was no urge to sneeze, no irritation in his lungs, not even a tickle. He scratched his head. "Huh. That's weird. Maybe I'm not allergic anymore."

"Hahahahahahahahar! _Cough, cough!_"

The hairs on the back of Junko's neck prickles. Sky sharks didn't laugh, especially not like that. His grey eyes flicked back and forth and finally settled on a flying object in the distance. It was a heliscooter, and an old one at that. It was totally red, either with paint or rust, and a dark trail of smoke trailed behind it. Wisps still clung to its path where the vehicle had collided with the edge of the terra. The man in its seat was laughing like the entire ordeal was a funny joke, flailing his arms out as his heliscooter swerved side to side uncontrollably. A chunk of grassy sod struck to the heliscooter's right side.

"Guys?" Junko called over his shoulder unsurely. The heliscooter was slowly disappearing into the distance. "Guys! This guy needs help!"

The horizon swallowed up the figure and no one inside the house caught his shouts. The wallop sprang onto his parked skimmer and drove it right off the small terra's edge. The wings snapped open and he soared off in the direction where the heliscooter vanished.

What the heck was the pilot thinking? Was he having such problems that he smashed into the side of the terra and can't regain control? Why was he laughing? Junko slowed his skimmer a bit as the heliscooter reappeared. The pilot wasn't laughing anymore, but rather seemed to be sobbing.

The heliscooter was red with rust. Its back wheel was gone and the rail connecting the machine to the whirling blades was bent. The vehivle tipped dangerously from side to side, dipping and then rising like a roller coaster. Junko pulled up alongside, amazed by the scene. The pilot was clothed in a long overcoat, tattered and scuffed and stained beyond compare. His black hat, stuck on his grizzled head by some unknown force, looked like it had been half burned and was pulled low over the man's eyes. The man hunched over his heliscooter's controls, his shoulders shaking with his sobs.

"Uh, mister?" Junko called softly, not wanting to scare him. "Hello?"

The sobs stopped. And the man looked up. A long shadow hid his eyes and he seemed to search for the voice. The wallop waved. "Hey, I'm right here."

The man saw him. "Did you see it?"

Junko took the liberty of sliding his skimmer to hover beside the rusted heliscooter. The poor vehicle looked like it was hallow. What was keeping it together? "Uh, see what?"

The man turned to gaze out into the distance. "It was there. Right there, I tell ya. Then suddenly, _**BAMM!**_" Junko jumped as the man slapped his hands together. "I flew straight into the corner of some terra! It tricked me! But, no, I won't fall for its traps again. I'm going to find it if it sucks every last breath of air from my lungs!"

Suddenly a big burst of black smog erupted from the heliscooter's rear and the blades slowed. With a groan, the front wheel fell off and the man lurched forward, seizing the rail with a strangling grip. Junko's heart leaped up into his mouth and he stretched his hand toward the man. "Here! Take my hand!"

"THAT TERRA TOOK EVERYTHING FROM ME!" The old man screamed, smacking his forehead against the rusty metal. The heliscooter coughed and began to fall. The wallop forced his skimmer around in a tight turn and his fingers slipped around the man's thin elbow. The rusty heliscooter fell… fell… fell… down to who knows where in the wastelands.

Junko was left hanging onto the man's pitifully skinny arm, leaning half-off his skimmer in order to hold him clear from the vehicle's loaded guns. The wallop pulled his feather weight burden onto his seat with no more than a soft grunt and looked over his shoulder at the shivering old man. "Wow, that was a close one. Are you okay?"

The old man stared glumly down to where his heliscooter had vanished. "I should have gone with it." His voice was soft.

"Gone with-" Junko twisted around to get a good look at him. "I'm going to take you back to my friends. They'll know what to do with you."

"Friends," the old man chuckled. His small black eyes, clouded with age, glistened. "Friends are a waste. No one stays. No one completely leaves you either. But that terra…" He fell silent.

"Terra?" Junko's heart beat faster. "Terra what?"

Silence.

Junko gently edged the black hat away from the man's face and gazed at him. Grizzled grey hairs, some still slightly streaked with what used to be auburn, littered his crinkled face tanned from long days in the sun. His eyes were brimmed with tears. "What's your name?"

The old man blinked and suddenly looked very frail, almost twig-like. "M-my name?"

"Yeah."

A long silence followed, and Junko wondered if he had some mental disability. He never liked to think of people badly, but the elderly man seemed to be thinking to hard for such a simple question. Suddenly he perked up. "My name! I know!"

Seconds ticked by. Junko tried to keep his voice low. "My name is Junko of the Storm Hawks. What's yours?"

The old man's fingers fumbled with his hat, pulling it so low it covered his face. "Corwyin. My name is Corwyin of the Altitude Flyers."

I will try to update as fast as I can. Of course, I have two other serious stories I'm working on besides this one and exams are coming up, so we'll see. REVIEW! I know it's short, so I'll make the next one longer.


	40. Corwyin and Rexitant

Chapter 40

Wow. Chapter 40. Do i really have to spoil this moment with words? Yes... yes I do.

* * *

Corwyin of the Altitude Flyers sat at the table on the Condor's bridge, a heavy quilt draped around his thin shoulders and a hot drink in his long, trembling fingers. Aerrow sat across from him. The old man looked so frail that the sky knight feared the heavy blanket would crush him. The small black eyes, still afire with the flame of life, darted to and fro beneath the old black hat pulled low over his brow. Steaming liquid dribbled over the cup's sides, but he didn't appear to notice. Aerrow's heart squeezed with pity just watching his skeletal hands shake.

Piper walked onto the bridge with a can in her hands. "Sorry, sir, but the only edible thing aboard right now is this soup." She looked down at the label. "Cloud krill and vinegar."

Finn's shoulders drooped. "Wait, no food?"

Corwyin's shifty eyes blinked and he turned his gaze to the soup can. "That's fine."

He put his hot drink on the table and reached for the can. A little surprised, Piper allowed the old man's fingers to claw around the soup and take it from her hands. "Um… don't you want it… warm?"

Aerrow realized that their guest was nearly deaf. His reaction to Piper's words told the sky knight that he knew that she said something, but didn't quite catch it. Piper was standing not two feet away.

The old man set the soup can's rim to his teeth and, with a small grunt, crunched through the tin like a wedge of cheese. Taking the torn piece from his mouth, Corwyin bit down on the top and ripped it away to expose the half-frozen contents within. The Storm Hawks' mouths fell open. Stork turned away from the controls to see what the sudden silence was about. Corwyin tipped his head back and deposited the frozen soup chunks into his mouth. Aerrow could only imagine what the old man was used to eating.

"He has the jaws of a wolverine-bear!" Finn whispered to Junko. The wallop touched his own jaw.

Corwyin crunched through both ice and foul meat, his face giving no hint of disgust or effort. Aerrow, realizing that his mouth was open, quickly closed it and cleared his throat. "So, you were one of the Altitude Flyers? One of the two squadrons that went after the legendary Terra Odranoel?"

The old man's teeth worked furiously, the small black eyes fixed on something in the distance. For a moment he was silent, simply content on chewing his icy, raw snack, but his gaze suddenly flicked up to the sky knight's face. "Odranoel is Leonardo backwards. Leonardo Bellous was the man who discovered that glass terra a thousand years ago, before it vanished." His face clouded over. "What it must have been like to be the first man to set foot on that terra for the first time. Made entirely of crystal glass. Shining pillars and gleaming cliffs reaching for the sky, rainbows everywhere. What a sight it must have been."

Something along the lines of a smirk crossed Stork's face and he aimed it at Finn. "See? I'm not going crazy." He tapped the side of his skull. "Visions."

Piper pulled Aerrow aside. She lowered her voice to a whisper. "What do we do with him? Should we drop him off somewhere?"

"I don't know. Junko just found him roaming around. He doesn't have transportation anymore and apparently he doesn't have a home. That's why Junko brought him here."

Piper's whisper became a hiss. "Oh, please. Junko would bring home a rabid Torka Beast if he could!"

Too true. Aerrow glanced over his shoulder at their guest. The old man was preoccupied with licking the remaining frozen meat from the can's sides. Finn was nowhere to be seen, but a distant flushing noise gave a hint, and Junko was content with watching Corwyin. Stork turned back to steering.

"Maybe…" Aerrow turned back to Piper.

Piper guessed what was on the sky knight's mind. "You're not seriously thinking…" She studied his face. "You are."

"Oh, c'mon. We've been so bored lately!" Aerrow used his best persuasion skills. "A new mission would do us good! Or would you rather just sit here and listen to that?" The toilet flushed again, and then a third time. "I think it's plugged again."

"Aerrow, that little 'mission' could end up with us being decommissioned as the Storm Hawks, your sky knight title being stripped, , and being thrown in jail! It's illegal!" Piper crossed her arms. "And what makes you think we could find this terra? It hasn't been seen in hundreds of years."

"First," Aerrow pointed out. "We've got him." He gestured to the old man dozing off with the soup can still in his hand. "And, we have Stork. I believe that he knows how to find it."

Piper wasn't convinced. "That man is supposed to be arrested for life by the Atmosian court, Aerrow! If we're even found with him, we'd be in serious trouble! And what about giant eyeballs, the Dark Ace throttling people, and Stork's life being sucked into this… eye. It doesn't make sense."

Forever the risk-taking adventurer, Aerrow smiled. "Sometimes that's what a mission is. Pressing at things you don't understand until they make sense."

"Go tell that to the Atmosian Council," Piper said soberly. "They've forbidden us."

"They forbade us to go looking for it," Aerrow said. "But we can't go looking for it if we already know where it is."

Piper stared at him.

Aerrow stared back, and then said, "It's called a loophole."

Piper scowled. "I _know _what it is."

Finn stuck his head onto the bridge. "Where's the toilet bowl plunger?!"

* * *

Master Cyclonis couldn't help but stare at the old man Dark Ace had brought to her. The lead talon looked ashamed of him, and she couldn't blame him. The old man's bone hands shook uncontrollably and the black hat was pulled down to his bent nose. Scars, some gruesome scabs and others just ancient white flesh, criss-crossed his thin body like he got caught in a giant blender. The scuffed and filthy long coat reached the ground to brush his bare feet, big enough to fit a well muscled young man.

"Who's this?" Master Cyclonis' lip rose in a disgusted grimace as the smell wafted her way.

"This is that old man I mentioned to you yesterday," Dark Ace said hesitantly. "The one who keeps dropping in to babble his nonsense."

"Ah, yes," Cyclonis looked at the old man with renewed disgust. "The one who claims he's from the Sky Dragons."

"Rexitant," the old man said. His shifty eyes stared down at his clasped hands. "Nice place you got."

Master Cyclonis' lungs burned with the smell of mold and grime. "Get him out of here. I'm not interested in his gibberish." She turned away.

"Wait!" The old man suddenly shrieked at the top of his lungs. Dark Ace covered his ears.

Master Cyclonis' patience frayed and she whirled around, a fearsome scowl on her face. Rexitant fell to his knees, tears flowing openly over his grizzled cheeks. "They knows! They knows about my beautiful…" His eyes fixed on something on the ground and he seemed to forget what he was going to say.

Cyclonis looked to Dark Ace. What, was his face turning pink? She flicked her eyes back to the old man groveling on the ground. "What's all this?"

Dark Ace cleared his throat, edging away from the sobbing man. "He said something about the Storm Hawks when he first arrived. It sounded important." He shot Rexitant a dirty look. "But it looks like he forgot. Again."

Rexitant stopped crying and grasped the Dark Ace's pant leg. The lead talon recoiled visibly. "No, the Storm Hawks. They know."

Dark Ace wretched his leg from the old man's hands. "They know what? You've been repeating the same thing over and over!" He turned back to Cyclonis. "I brought him to you to see if you can get anything out of him that makes sense."

Cyclonis withdrew a red crystal from her belt fastened around her trim waist and began to walk down the steps. Rexitant looked up unsurely as Cyclonis dropped the ordinary striker crystal into his hands. She stared down at him with a flat, no-nonsense gaze. "Look into the crystal."

Rexitant obeyed and his eyes soon became hypnotized by the scarlet and maroon depths of the heavily polished stone. Cyclonis squatted down to his level. His smell was nearly unbearable. "Now, what do you know of the Storm Hawks?"

"Odranoel," Rexitant let out in a deep sigh. His black eyes shifted. "The Storm Hawks know about it."

Dark Ace listened silently. Cyclonis lowered her voice to a whisper. "Tell me about it."

"I was at the Sky Side Shanty. The Storm Hawks were there, the young ones. They believe that the Terra Odranoel is invisible or something and that it's moving around Atmos. They talked with one of the waitresses there and suddenly ran out in a hurry. Corwyin… he's still alive."

Dark Ace looked at Cyclonis questioningly. "Who's Corwyin? The voice in his head?"

"Corwyin is the only survivor from the other sky knight squadron who flew with the Sky Dragons. I believe their name was the Altitude Flyers." Cyclonis stood up, slowly turned, and started back up the stairs. The old man was silent, staring into the deep red crystal. "Get him out of here. He knows nothing."

"What about the Storm Hawks?" Dark Ace asked.

Cyclonis reached the top. "There's no need to worry. There's no way to find that terra. No one has."

"No."

Cyclonis turned, surprised. "What?"

Rexitant looked up. "No. We did. The Altitude Flyers and the Sky Dragons. We found it."

"You found it?" Dark Ace gasped.

Cyclonis was suddenly interested. "And?"

Rexitant looked down into the crystal. "I… I don't remember. Everyone just…"

Silence.

"He's been screwed up ever since he came back from that expedition," Dark Ace sneered. "For all we know, he could have landed on a desert terra and hallucinated."

"No!" Rexitant was suddenly on his feet, eyes as hard as stones. His thin hand grabbed the front of the Dark Ace's uniform and shook him with strength unreal for his skeletal build. "We reached that terra! Every single one of us! There was this… this… _thing _there that…"

Dark Ace's breathe rose and fell quickly as he stared into the crazed eyes of the madman. Rexitant released him and the Dark Ace staggered back. Tears once again began to flow. "They're all dead!"

Cyclonis didn't know what to think of the old man. She unconsciously took a step back. "What was the 'thing' that killed them?"

Rexitant ran a trembling hand over his face. "Thing? No thing. Loud voices, harsh and cruel. I-I remember…" He touched the back of his head.

Dark Ace picked up the red striker crystal from where Rexitant had dropped it and placed it back in his hands. "Remember what the thing was."

Rexitant looked into the crystal, obviously quite fond of it. "Thing…" The tears immediately dried up. "It was round… about the size of my fist… and strange." He held the crystal up. "It wasn't like this."

"So it wasn't a crystal?"

"No."

Cyclonis waited for further explanation, but Rexitant just pulled the ancient hat lower over his eyes and fell silent.

Dark Ace shrugged. "I guess that's it."

"That's it?"

Dark Ace took Rexitant's arm. The old man didn't resist. "He's done talking. Whenever he comes to Cyclonia to blabber to a talon on patrol, he talks himself out and then becomes dead silent. Then he comes back the next day and it starts over again."

Cyclonis felt a little peeved that no one had mentioned this to her. She took a breath and forced a small, if creepy, smile that she only gave to her most loyal subject. "Then we'll keep him around. Put him in an empty talon quarters and place a guard. No one goes in, no comes out, and no one talks to him without orders from me."

"Of course, Master Cyclonis." Dark Ace bowed and turned to go, his hand firmly attached to Rexitant's arm. The old man went without a fuss, limping on his left leg.

Alone, Cyclonis remained standing at the top of the stairs, gazing at the door where they had disappeared through. She had never given Terra Odranoel much thought. Like everyone else in Atmos, she didn't have much information. Why was this old man, crazy as he was, so obsessed with this terra? The place was the death of his entire squadron and another. What power did this terra hold that could possibly be that great?

Cyclonis' curiosity was stirred up, and she knew what could fulfill it. The great library of Terra Atmosia. She pressed a lever down near her throne and a voice came from the speaker near it. "Yes, Master Cyclonis?"

"Send out five units of elite talons to me. I have a serious mission for them."

"Yes, Master."

Cyclonis released the lever and walked over to the single window bearing the forever stormy skies of Cyclonia. "Let's see what Terra Odranoel really holds."

Now there were two forces, good and bad, that held interests in the legendary terra.

* * *

I really couldn't help but put in the whole toilet thing. Heh. Oh yeah, what do you think about me doing a comic or manga or whatever it is for this story? I'm pretty good at drawing, and it would be a long time from now, but it'd be cool if I put it on deviantart. Would you guys read it?


	41. Chapter 41

Chapter 41

Yeah, again, i couldn't think of a title for this chapter. I am really bad at titles! Well, i guess it's official. I will be doing a comic/manga/whatever for at least Part 1 of Hospitality or Hostility. You will be able to find it on Deviantart. I will give you all my username, the link, whatever you need so that you can see it. I'll give you more info as the end of part 3 comes closer. In other words, it'll be awhile.

* * *

Corwyin stared blankly at Piper's ancient map. The sketch of the glass terra Odranoel was circled lightly with washable ink among the other terras of modern day. Aerrow knelt beside the old man's chair and placed his hand on the worn parchment. "Do you remember this?"

Corwyin nodded.

The sky knight slid his hand to the top of the map to reveal another terra. "Here's Atmosia. What route did you take when your squadrons first set off?"

The old man's brow furrowed in confusion. "Set off where?"

"On your expedition to find the legendary lost terra," Aerrow said patiently. "Odranoel?"

"Oh, yes!" Corwyin hunched over the map. Aerrow withdrew his hand. "Let's see…" His trembling brown finger touched the faint likeness of Atmosia and then traveled downwards, tracing an invisible line. "We took the wind currents to here, flew past here, I remember the storm clouds near this terra, and then we headed down to here…" His finger wove in and out of the landmarks with confidence, muttering while doing so. Piper leaned over the table and followed his route with quick dashes of ink.

Finn watched the expedition's path unfold with a practiced eye. "That's one heck of a route. It makes you kinda dizzy." His eyes went slightly unfocused.

"It is confusing," Aerrow admitted. The route was a total mess. "Is there a reason?"

Corwyin suddenly leaned back, halting the path in the middle of the wastelands near Terra Saharr. "We spotted it not two days after we set off. It was like that," Corwyin snapped his boney fingers. "But we definitely saw the lost terra. Just that glimpse took endless hours of sleeping on shifts, never leaving your eyes on your assigned location. Some took below us, some to each direction, and others to the horizon. It was the sky knight of the Sky Dragons who spotted it first."

"Oooh… exciting," Junko said breathlessly, his eyes wide and unblinking. Finn inched away from him.

"Rexitant; the bravest, strongest, most admired man I knew," Corwyin said quietly. "He was the actual leader of the quest. I was more of his second in command. He saw that terra and we were all immediately awake and flying like the devil was after us in the direction that he saw it. Poor Rexitant was never quite the same after that." Corwyin took a long drink from his glass.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Aerrow said. "What do you mean by that?"

"Rexitant never being the same?" Corwyin slammed the drink back down and leaned forward, giving them a gape-toothed grin and a roguish wink as if he had a secret. "I'll tell you somethin'. Rexitant's head was fuddled. That terra did somethin' to his brain. He spotted Odranoel and started howler'n like his crotch was afire. The rest of those men's' lives were spent being driven to and fro, up and down, back and forth, starve'n and tired to the bone. But Rexitant didn't care anymore." Corwyin swished his drink. "He just wanted that terra in his sights again."

"That's all important," Finn broke in, his curiosity and impatience getting the better of him. "But what I want to know is… did you ever, like, actually _find _Terra Odranoel?"

"Oh, sure. We found it plenty of times," Corwyin said flatly, pointing to random spots on the map. "Here n' here n' here n' here n' here!" He swung his drink over the ancient parchment. "It was everywhere!"

Piper hastily pulled the priceless artifact back as the old man's water spilt onto the table. "So it's certain that the terra is somehow… moving?"

Aerrow nodded. "And apparently it really is invisible."

Finn rubbed his hands together gleefully. "And is still loaded with precious fame and fortune!"

Corwyin twisted around in his chair to face the sharpshooter. "Ah, but that's just what killed my squadron, young 'un." He lifted his drink to his lips. "That terra just doesn't want to be found."

Aerrow's head was swimming with all the information and unanswered questions he had gathered in the past few days. He needed to write everything down, lock himself in his quarters, and stare at it for a day. Then perhaps something would make sense.

Finn wasn't satisfied. "But did you actually, like, _find _it? Actually caught up to it and landed on it?"

Aerrow perked up. He should have asked that.

The old man's mouth opened to answer.

_Booooom! Whuuuuuuuuuurrrr!_

The Condor rocked as a volley of blasts struck her length. A swarm of Talons flew over the airship, twice the size of a normal regiment.

Aerrow's tired brain was immediately forgotten. "Junko, Finn, take the cannons! Take us around, Stork! Radarr, get my skimmer ready! Piper," Aerrow glanced down at Corwyin, who drained the last of his drink and belched. "Take him to my room."

The sky knight felt the Condor's speed increase as Stork worked his magic on the old airship. The swarm of Talons split into two, half which kept going and half that swooped around with their striker crystals firing. The Condor's powerful cannons folded out from the ship's sides and Finn and Junko eagerly took their controls, swinging the weapons around to meet the talons' volleys head on. Corwyin followed Piper to the safety of Aerrow's quarters without protest.

Aerrow rushed to Stork's side to get a closer look at the retreating half of the talons. "Why are they running? They're not going to fight?"

Stork glanced back over his shoulder uneasily as Junko's aim took another talon from the sky. "It looks like they came from Terra Atmosia. Seems like they're in a hurry to get away."

"Because they stole something!" In four bounds Aerrow cleared the bridge's length. He raced to the hanger bay and was greeted by Radarr, who was ready to go in his master's skimmer. The loyal sky monkey turned and waved from his copilot seat.

"Thanks, Radarr!" Aerrow vaulted onto his vehicle and drove straight off the Condor's runway. With a snap the wings sprang open and the sky knight flew at top speed after the retreating half of the talons. Junko and Finn was taking a heavy toll on the half that stayed to attack the airship, as always.

Aerrow swerved around the offensive talons and came into clear skies, speeding away from the Condor. There was a large gap between him and the retreating enemy, but the confident sky knight simply opened the small pouch he kept behind his seat and withdrew a nitro crystal. The fiery blue and yellowish green lit up his hand as he dropped the crystal into his front engine. "Good for one speed boost…"

The skimmer and its two riders became a blur as the nitro crystal's power took affect. The speed boost lasted for only a moment, but as they slowed, Aerrow could have reached out and tapped the lead talon on the shoulder. The crystal died and the sky knight pulled down alongside the retreating talons. "Hey there! Why the hurry?"

The lead talon looked at him in surprise, and then Aerrow's suspicions were proven correct. A heap of books poked out innocently from a sack tied to the lead talon's skimmer. A bright red stamp on the biggest one's front cover read, _Property of the Atmosian Library Prohibited to the Public_. Ah.

"I'll take those," Aerrow said, reaching out for the sack. The lead talon, scared out of his wits at the sight of the Storm Hawk, wretched his vehicle away, but not quick enough. The sky knight hooked the sack with his index finger and the strap slipped from where it was tied. "Thank you!"

_Crrrrrrack!_

A bolt of red crystal energy ripped through the sky and struck Aerrow's outstretched arm. With a yelp he released the stolen property and the sack went flying. The talons dove beneath him and caught their valuable cargo as it fell.

Dark Ace descended from above, his blood red sword pointed at the sky knight. "Nice try, sky brat, but Master Cyclonis has more use for those than you do. Don't get tangled in business you're not cut out for." He deactivated his sword and took off after the talons, now reunited with their stolen Atmosian property.

Aerrow clutched his injured arm, glaring hatefully at the back of his enemy's head. He grasped his skimmer with one hand. "C'mon, Radarr. We can't let them get away!"

"Aerrow!"

The sky knight twisted around in his seat to see Piper flying toward him in her heliscooter. He turned back to the disappearing talons. Should he keep going and try again, or go back? He wanted to keep going and give Dark Ace a beating he would never forget. He'll show him what a sky brat can do!

"Aerrow," Piper said again as she pulled up alongside him. "I saw what happened. Was that the Dark Ace?"

"It sure was," Aerrow growled. "They've stolen important looking books from the Atmosian Library. They're prohibited to the public. I almost had them!"

"Let's get back to the Condor," Piper said firmly. She knew what Aerrow wanted to do. "And we'll go after them together."

Dark Ace had the advantage by a long shot. Aerrow looked down at his blackened arm. He really had to learn how to know when to quit.

"Fine." The three Storm Hawks turned and swooped toward the waiting Condor. Finn and Junko had done their job and the sky was choked with talons on parachutes.

"Stork, take us around and go full speed toward the other half!" Aerrow ordered as he, Radarr, and Piper burst onto the bridge.

"Right!" Stork's skillful hands turned the large airship.

Finn squeezed the trigger of his cannon. _Click. _"Hey, Junko. I need more ammo!"

The helpful wallop leaped from his seat. "I'm on it, little buddy!"

Aerrow stood by Stork as the Condor began its pursuit of Dark Ace and his regiment of talons. "They've stolen prohibited books from the Atmosian library. I don't know what information they contain, but the Atmosian Council apparently doesn't want anyone to know, and there must be a good reason. We have to catch them!"

"We will," Piper said with composure. She handed the sky knight a folded white cloth. "Here."

Aerrow held it blankly. "What's this for?"

"Your arm."

"Oh." Leave it to Piper to think of the small things in the midst of battle.

The Condor closed the space between predator and prey. The talons glanced over their shoulders, as the large airship's horn blasted their eardrums.

Finn, his cannon loaded to the maximum, whirled the weapon around and aimed. "Take this Dark Ace…"

"Finn, be careful with your fire," Aerrow said. "Don't catch the talon with the books."

Finn's eye flicked from cyclonian skimmer to skimmer. "They're too far away to see. Anyone could have them."

"Darn it," Aerrow hissed. Piper was already at the periscope. The sky knight turned to her. "Anything?"

Piper searched through the ranks unsuccessfully. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but Finn's right. I can't see a thing. The books could be anywhere."

Aerrow finished wrapping the cloth around his arm and took one end in his teeth to tie it off. Finn twisted around in his chair to look at the sky knight pleadingly. "Do you really think a bunch of dusty old goons would care about a few scrappy books? As long as we make sure everything goes down to the wastelands, no one will know."

"Finn!" Piper said, horrified.

The sharpshooter turned back to the cannon. "Well, tell me what to do then! Should we just let them go?"

"No!" Piper said firmly. "Those books belong to the Atmosian Library. They must be originals and there might not be any copies. They're priceless!"

"So…" Junko scratched his head, one hand on the cannon. "We don't shoot?"

Finn pointed. "They're getting away! Why am I talking and not shooting?"

Stork slowed the Condor. "Should I just stop?"

"NO!"

The merb cringed and the airship's speed once again increased. "Okay, okay."

Piper turned from the periscope to the sky knight. "What should we do, Aerrow?"

Aerrow knotted off the bandage and gripped the rail, glaring hard out the window. A cross-breeze suddenly swept through the skies and the retreating Cyclonian skimmers were turned slightly to the side. His uninjured arm shot out to point. "There! The talon with the chipped wing!"

Finn immediately saw it. "That dent is so big; you can see it from here." He squinted. "You're right. I can see the edge of the sack."

_Boom! Boom! Boom! _Finn let loose three blasts and half stood up in the cannon's seat. "TAKE THAT TALON SCUM!!"

The talons scattered as his bolts ripped through their ranks. Piper's heart nearly stopped as the Cyclonian with the books swerved, narrowly missing being hit. "Finn! Be careful!"

Junko, on the other hand, took careful and painstakingly accurate aim. The wallop moved the cannon's mouth to the right two centimeters, and then back to the left just a bit. The Dark Ace swooped up to avoid his scattering talons and then came whooshing down… straight into Junko's line of fire.

_Bam! _Junko's bolt of blue crystal energy neatly clipped the Dark Ace's wing off. He gripped his failing vehicle in surprise, but it was only for a moment. The Dark Ace leaped from his spinning skimmer onto the next, who just happened to be the talon holding the sack of priceless books. He savagely booted the frightened man from the seat and sat down, whipping out his sword. "Someone take these books and keep going. The rest of you, come with me."

Aerrow turned away from the window. "I'm going out again."

"Do you think you can steer?" Piper asked, a bit torn letting him go, hoping that he would fail so miserably it would take the edge off his willpower, and dropkicking him where he stood.

Aerrow flexed his injured arm. "I think I can." He turned and ran for the hanger bay, Radarr following close behind.

Stork shook his head slowly as the second wave of talons bore down on the Condor. "We're all going to die."

* * *

It proved harder than Aerrow thought. He held one energy blade in his uninjured hand and kept his skimmer steady with the other, hoping that the wind was in his favor. One hard sweep of air and his vehicle would flip. Radarr, ever so loyal Radarr, sat at ready in his copilot station, ready to step in and take the controls at a second's notice.

Dark Ace sped down on the airship, his red sword alive with crystal energy. All he had to do was stall the Storm Hawks long enough for the single talon to get away with Master Cyclonis' books. He couldn't have these meddlesome sky brats messing with their plans.

Suddenly the sky knight, the one called Aerrow, flew out from the Condor's hanger. _Darn it! _Dark Ace shifted his sword to his other hand and turned his skimmer around, making a wide swoop around his remaining talons. "Concentrate your fire on the windows and the ship's engines. I'll take care of the sky knight."

The talons obeyed his orders and Dark Ace turned his attention to the sky knight circling around straight toward him. A bandage was wrapped around his arm. _I thought that would restrict him to their carrier. This kid is too stubborn for his own good._ Dark Ace's sword gleamed. _No matter._

Aerrow leaped up and balanced on his skimmer's wing, Radarr dived to take over the controls. Dark Ace's vehicle zoomed by and their weapons crashed together. Aerrow was nearly bowled over. _Whoa! He feels stronger than before! _Dark Ace whirled his skimmer around and came back for a second test of strength, Dark Ace style.

As their skimmers flashed by one another, Dark Ace slammed his elbow into Aerrow's injured arm. The sky knight reeled back and could barely bring his energy blade up fast enough to block his enemy's sword. Then it was over and Dark Ace began to bring his vehicle back around for another attack.

Aerrow wearily slipped back into his seat, his arm throbbing. "I don't know if I could take another hit, Radarr."

"Rawr!" Radarr pointed into the distance. The single talon, the one volunteered by the Dark Ace to carry the Atmosian books, was having what appeared to be engine trouble. His progress had slowed tremendously and his vehicle was tipping dangerously to the side.

"Hold on!" Aerrow reached back into the bag behind his seat and withdrew another nitro crystal. The Dark Ace was nearly upon them when the sky knight and his copilot suddenly shot off in a blur.

The wind whipping past Aerrow's face ripped tears from the corners of his eyes as his skimmer cut through the sky as a bullet. The distant talon swiftly became visible, and it became clear that he wasn't having engine trouble. The sack of priceless Atmosian books had somehow slipped from the skimmer and had become entangled in the vehicle folded wheels. The talon was bending low over his skimmer, one hand attempting to steer while the other reached for his fallen cargo. It wasn't working out.

Aerrow didn't slow. He simply reached up with his uninjured hand and zipped underneath the talon's skimmer. The Cyclonian's eyes bugged out as a big blur came out of seemingly nowhere and snatched his precious cargo right out from under his fingers.

As the nitro crystal's power faded, Aerrow twisted around and waved. "See ya!"

"Hi ya," Dark Ace snarled, flying in at top speed. Aerrow pretty much dropped the heavy sack of books on Radarr and took the controls in both hands, wrenching his skimmer around toward the Condor. Dark Ace followed, firing bolt after bolt after his enemy.

"All we have to do is-" Aerrow swung his skimmer into a barrel role, avoiding a blast. "-get back to the Condor and-" He ducked. "Defend ourselves from there!"

"I'm afraid not, Aerrow!" Dark Ace's arm swung down from above and scooped the sack right from Radarr's hands. The sky monkey leaped up to catch it, but the sack was already on board Dark Ace's skimmer. The Cyclonian turned away and joined the talons attacking the airship.

"Give those back, Dark Ace!" Aerrow yelled, activated an energy blade. "Those belong to Atmosia!"

Dark Ace disappeared in the milling crowd of talons, and then reappeared on the other side. Aerrow jerked his skimmer around to meet him in a battle, but then several things happened at once.

The Condor's horn blared a warning.

The Dark Ace's sword fired a blast straight for the sky knight.

Aerrow's arm gave out and he released the skimmer's controls.

A talon swooped out from behind and fired just as Aerrow swerved his skimmer with one hand to avoid the Dark Ace's bolt… right into the talon's. The blast hit true and Aerrow began to drop from the sky, a stream of black smoke leaking from the engines.

Dark Ace pulled his skimmer into a hover to watch the sky knight and his copilot fall, clinging to the failing skimmer helplessly. "Goodbye, Aerrow. I hope you enjoy your visit to the wastelands." He raised his scarlet sword. "Fall back and head for Cyclonia!" A sneer spread across his face. "Our work here is done."

* * *

Aerrow fell. His skimmer was shrouded in choking smoke and he couldn't see a thing. Of course, there was only one thing below to break his fall; the wastelands. The sky knight fought to keep his vehicle's nose up, but it wasn't much use. He was falling. Radarr clung to his copilot station and screeched in panic.

A huge silhouette cut through the clouds above, accompanied by the deafening blare of an airship horn. The Condor was struggling to keep up with his decent. _No, no, no, guys! Stop the Dark Ace! _Frustrated, Aerrow gripped his skimmer's controls like a poisonous snake and pulled back with all his might, regardless of his injured arm. His skimmer responded ever so slightly, just enough to slow his fall enough for the Condor's giant side to come down alongside.

_C'mon, don't fail me now! _"Radarr, see if you can do something about that smoke!" Aerrow yelled to his copilot over the roar of the airship. Radarr flattened himself against the skimmer and began to crawl back toward the smoking backend of the vehicle. The sky knight swung all his weight on the controls and the wings shifted, angling them toward the Condor.

The giant airship pulled to a halt and leveled out, leaving the rest to Aerrow. He forced his smoking skimmer into a circle and came around to the Condor's left side, using the wind to his advantage. The carrier's runway never looked so homey. "Get ready, Radarr!"

Radarr hopped back into his station and gripped the wheel activation lever. "Rawr!"

They cleared the Condor's side and Aerrow fought to steady his vehicle's wings. For a frightening second Aerrow thought his right wings were going to catch on the runway and send them spinning out of control, but the vehicle leveled out and the path became smooth. The sky knight's heart leaped. They were going to make it!

Suddenly the skimmer's backend exploded, sending flames licking at Aerrow's back. Radarr shrieked and dived deep into his station as the entire vehicle was enveloped in smoke. Aerrow couldn't see. The wings began to wobble just as the runway was under the skimmer's belly and, to everyone's horror; the right wings touched the landing strip. The skimmer flipped, sending flames and metal flying.

* * *

"Aerrow!" Piper sprang from the hanger bay onto the Condor's landing strip. Junko went straight to the burning remains of Aerrow's skimmer and went wild with a fire extinguisher.

"Oh, Aerrow," Piper sighed, kneeling down beside the blackened sky knight sprawled on his back. "I knew this was going to happen one day. You're such a risk-taker."

"I… can't… feel my arms," Aerrow said, frozen in his position. One arm was draped lifelessly across his chest. The injured one was stretched out, the cheap bandage torn off during the cruel crash. He lifted his head, blinking smoke from his reddened eyes. "Where's Radarr?"

Finn and Stork came running out. The sharpshooter swept a hand over his head in disbelief upon seeing his friend. "Oh… boy…"

Piper gently edged Aerrow's other arm to join the first across his chest. Aerrow bit his lip bravely. "Hey, Junko. Can you take him inside?"

The kind wallop dropped the half crushed fire extinguisher beside the smoking ruins and crouched down to inch his big hands under the sky knight. Aerrow went as limp as a dead fish as Junko lifted him with little effort and began to slowly walk back to the safety of the Storm Hawk's home. Finn and Stork followed.

Piper stood alone by the remnants of her friend's vehicle, gazing up at the clouded sky. "First Terra Snowgra, then the Wrath crystal incident, and now this. How much can we take?"

"Rawr."

Piper looked down to see Radarr crawl from his copilot seat, blackened by smoke, singed by fire, but alright. She crouched down to greet him. "Oh, Radarr. You're okay."

The sky monkey reached back inside his station and dragged a big leather book out. He held it up triumphantly. On its cover, it read, _Property of the Atmosian Library Prohibited to the Public_.

* * *

Is that long enough for you all? Well, that's what Aerrow gets for being such a risk taker. Anyone with common sense wouldn't try fighting the most feared man in Atmos with one usable hand. Cooooooooommmmmmmmoooooonnnnn sssseeeeeeeeennnnnnssssseeee! REVIEW!!


	42. Chapter 42

Chapter 42

I'm so sorry I haven't updated in so long. I just moved across America, new school, about a million other things to do... so here it is. Please note that I'm tired. I promise that action and less talking will happen in next chapter. Enjoy!!

* * *

Aerrow was miserable. There was no other way to say it. He was just downright depressed. There was no way to cheer him up either, simply because there was nothing to say. He couldn't fight, he couldn't fly, he couldn't even pet Radarr's head.

Aerrow had busted his arms.

Not just one, but both. Both of Aerrow's arms were broken from the brutal crash resulting from his fight with the Dark Ace the day before. Not having the supplies to properly treat such an injury, Piper took two bent pipes, pasted them against Aerrow's crossed arms to keep them steady, and wrapped the lot with as many bandages as the others could find. With his busted arms slung around his neck and folded across his midriff, Aerrow couldn't do anything… except sit. And listen to Finn.

"That is so unfair!" Finn exploded.

Piper snatched the recovered Atmosian volume from the sharpshooter. "This wild goose chase has given us nothing but trouble. If we're found with this book, we could be in huge trouble!"

Finn followed her around the bridge. "That's no reason to quit what could be our biggest adventure ever! Just think what we would be rewarded with when we find the long lost Terra Odranolan."

"Yeah, a lifetime in jail." Piper placed the book on the meeting/dining table. Aerrow sitting with his head resting on the tabletop, squeezing his eyelids shut tight as he struggled to nap amid the argument. "And it's pronounced Odranoel."

"Oh, c'mon." Finn made a wild grab for the priceless volume and succeeded. "How will a little peek hurt?"

Piper took his wrists and shoved the cover into his face. "Read that."

"Property of the Atmosian Library. Prohibited to the public." Finn craned his head around the heavy book. "So?"

Piper reclaimed the volume. "So? If we are found with this on board the Condor, we could be stripped of our title as the Storm Hawks, Aerrow could lose his sky knight position, and we could be jailed for life! We have to return it immediately."

"All big _coulds_," Finn rationalized. "And why should we return something when we earned it fair and square from the cyclonians?"

"We didn't," Piper said bitterly, carefully pulling out a long black hair from the yellow pages. "Radarr did, and just because the cyclonians were the ones who stole it doesn't mean it's okay to keep."

"But the cyclonians wanted those books for a _reason,_" Finn protested.

Piper let go of the heavy volume onto the tabletop with a loud bang, startling everyone. Aerrow, who had just managed to relax, woke with a start and Junko fell off his chair. The wallop stared longingly at the romance book he dropped. "Aww… I lost my spot."

Corwyin, sitting by the window, gave the young team a disinterested glance, and then went back to staring out into the clouds.

"It's totally not cool to suddenly quit when we've come so far," Finn said angrily. "We can use that book to find that terra!"

"This isn't a game, Finn," Piper snapped back. "What have we gained from all this? We have a crazy old man, our sky knight is down, and we have illegal cargo in our home. It's time to stop before something else happens."

"Like Cyclonis taking over Atmos?"

"Like Cyclonis taking ov-" Piper stopped. She and Finn looked over at Stork, who had made the comment. Aerrow finally gave up on his nap and sat up.

"Why do you say that, Stork?" Piper asked solemnly.

"Did you have another whatchamacallet?"

Stork remained at the Condor's controls. "Yes, Finn. I did have a vision. Last night."

Aerrow shifted uncomfortably . "And?" His voice cracked from lack of use all day. "What did it tell you?"

"It didn't really tell me anything. Instead, it steered me to something that did," Stork said. He glanced over his shoulder. "And I learned something. Something big."

Piper looked at the long black hair she had pulled from the book's pages and realization dawned on her. "You read the book while I was treating Aerrow!"

"Whoa." Finn gave the merb a double thumbs up. "Nice one, dude."

Piper's mouth was open. Stork turned back. "I'm with Finn on this one. You all need to know, now that you're done arguing."

Piper's hand wandered to the table to touch the book. "Like what?"

* * *

"This is interesting," Cyclonis mused. She closed the stolen Atmosian book and opened the next one, leafing through the frail pages to the terras. Terra Odranoel's illustration was far too faded to make out, but the text was all too bold. "Very interesting."

Dark Ace entered her dark chamber. "Are the books to your liking?"

Cyclonis' black fingernail ran along the words, stopping every so often as she drank in the prohibited information. "Yes, very much."

"You'd think the great Atmosian Library would have better security…" His words trailed off as he came to stand beside his master. He only had to read the top sentence to become interested. "What is all this?"

Cyclonis laid the book down flat on her lap so that her lead Talon could see better. "Ever heard of Terra Odranoel?"

"That's the terra that old fool Rexitant keeps ranting about," Dark Ace said. "You mean it exists? I thought it was lost-"

"That's just it." Cyclonis ran her hand across the page, whipping dust away. "It wasn't blown up, it didn't collapse, it wasn't destroyed. It just vanished."

"What terra just vanishes?" Dark Ace scoffed.

Her finger tapped a small, blurry drawing at the very bottom of the page. "I'm guessing it has something to do with this."

Dark Ace had to lean in close to squint at the drawing. It took a moment for him to pick out the aged lines and separate the runny colors, but when he did, he gasped. "What is that?!"

* * *

Piper walked stiff-backed from the kitchen, a bowl of steaming soup in her hands. Not bothering to hide her annoyance, she practically slammed the food in front of Aerrow. The sky knight drew back as scalding liquid landed on his face.

Finn had his hand rested on the old book, prepared to open it. On one side stood Junko, and to his left sat Aerrow. Stork remained at his post, taking them slowly around Atmos toward Atmosia.

"Alright," Finn said, rubbing his hands together. "Let's open this baby."

"Be careful with it!" Piper dropped the spoon in the soup in alarm as Finn wretched the cover over to reveal the aged pages. Once again Aerrow flinched as hot droplets stung his face.

"Reeeeelax," Finn dismissed her carelessly. He flipped through the pages. "Blah, blah, blah, Ooh!" He leaned in. "Nice pictures."

"Don't breath on it too much!" Once again Piper put down the spoon and edged the book away from Finn. "These pages are old."

Aerrow stared longingly at the food.

"I'll turn the pages," Piper said unsurely. "you might rip them."

Aerrow's stomach growled and he shifted his broken arms in their sling uncomfortably. The soup smelled so good.

Finn reclaimed his job. "I can do it fine! Feed Aerrow."

_Riiiiiiiiiiiiiipppp._

Finn's hand held a section of the frail paper. "Oh. That wasn't good."

"FINN!!" Piper pretty much shoved the sharpshooter from his seat and repossessed the book. "I'll do it while we still have some of the book left."

Finn attempted to get it back. "I can do it, Piper!"

Stork sighed, playing the Condor's controls from hand to hand skillfully. "They're probably not even passed the index."

While Piper and Finn fought tooth and claw over the book, Aerrow miserably stood up, walked across the bridge, and sat down heavily in a chair. His stomach growled.

Junko noticed.

"I can turn the stupid pages, Piper!" Finn reached for the priceless volume.

"Let me do it, Finn!" Piper elbowed him in the gut.

Junko managed to reach into their argument zone and saved the forgotten soup. The wallop happily skipped across the bridge, humming and stirring the food with the spoon. Aerrow shrank back in the chair until he bunched up in the seat, hiding his head in his sling. _Oh… crap…_

Stork noted. "Uh, Junko? Maybe that's not a very good idea."

"I found it!" Finn crowed triumphantly. "I found the section of Terra Odranil!"

"It's _Odranoel, _Finn!"

"Whatever."

Junko crouched down beside the injured sky knight and made plane sounds while steering the overloaded spoon around the sky knight's head. Aerrow tried to disappear. "Here comes the plane, Aerrow!" Down went the spoon.

Stork flinched.

_GLOMP!_

Aerrow fell over backwards from the chair, choking on the spoon shoved to the back of his throat. Junko sprang up, dashing the hot soup and screaming, "I KILLED AERROW!!"

Piper and Finn whirled around and the Atmosian volume fell from the tabletop onto the floor, closing with a bang.

Stork, the closest to the choking sky knight, was at his side in a flash and pulled the spoon out. The merb turned him over onto his side and poor Aerrow drew in deep breaths, coughing from the ordeal.

Junko collected the bowl from the floor, shifting his hoofed feet in the spilt soup guiltily. "Sorry, Aerrow…"

"It's okay," the weary sky knight managed to say. He slowly stood with the help of Stork and began to make his way across the bridge toward his quarters. "I think I'll go to bed."

Silence fell over the Condor's bridge as Aerrow gradually made it through the door. It slammed shut behind him.

Finn picked up the fallen Atmosian book, swept a hand over its cover to remove grit, and solemnly handed it to Piper. "Here."

She took it. "Thanks, Finn."

The navigator sat down and opened the book gently. Finn leaned over her shoulder as Stork returned to the Condor's controls and Junko stood there with the empty bowl in his hands, his eyes huge and lip quivering (he needs a hug).

"Terra Rex, Terra Atmosia, the Expanse, the Black Gorge, Terra…" Piper paused. "Of the Giant Sweaty Socks?"

Silence. "I don't want to know."

"Blah, blah, blah…" Finn reached around her and continued through the book. "Not it, not it, not it, Terra Odranranoel!"

They both leaned in.

* * *

"It… it looks like," Dark Ace drew back from the illustration. "An _eye._"

"The Soul Crystal," Cyclonis corrected. "Odranoel is its home terra."

"The Soul Crystal," Dark Ace repeated. "I've never heard of it."

"But I have." Cyclonis' eyes glimmered evilly. "It's the twin of the Helix crystal."

"The Helix crystal is the most powerful crystal imaginable," Dark Ace said. "No one even knows if it exists. And the Soul crystal is its twin?"

"In a way." Cyclonis shut the book and closed her eyes. "It doesn't say anything more."

"But what of the terra? Why is it made of glass?" Dark Ace tapped the closed book. "Is all this because of this crystal?"

Cyclonis stood. She set the book on her throne and walked away, her hands clasped in thought. "Terra Odranoel has been lost for centuries, the only terra in Atmos that simply vanished without a trace. And now I know why." She stopped. "Odranoel is nothing but the hideout of the Soul Crystal."

"But what does the crystal do?" Dark Ace asked. "Is it like the Wrath Crystal? Or is it just like the Helix Crystal?"

"The Wrath Crystal, no. And it's different than its brother crystal," Cyclonis replied. "The Soul Crystal is different. The books don't say what it does, and I have no knowledge of its power. But I do know one thing." She turned with a small smile on her shadowed face. "It's terrible."

"A crystal that rivals the Helix Crystal," Dark Ace said. "That's greater than the Aurora Stone, the Wrath Crystal, and any other crystal combined. Is it even possible?"

"It is." Cyclonis turned back, withdrawing a red striker crystal from her sleeve. She studied her reflection on its polished surface. "A crystal that powerful could crumble Atmos to dust." Her fist closed and the striker crystal shattered. She raised it and allowed the scarlet fragments to rain down from her fingers. "Once upon a time Cyclonia ruled Atmos, and I want everything back the way it was, even if I have to burn the world to ash."

Her pupils became fearsome slits. "I want that Terra found. I want that crystal!"

* * *

"The Soul Crystal," Piper read at the very bottom of the page. "Is said to be on Terra Odranoel. The twin of the most powerful crystal on Atmos, the Helix Crystal, the Soul Crystal is…" Piper sighed and leaned back.

Finn watched her, leaning on the table top with his head resting on his head. "I don't think reading the last two sentences on the page over and over again will bring back the faded words."

Piper stared unhappily at the small section of the page where there were once words. "I don't understand it. Who would rub out the information about the Soul Crystal?"

"The twin of the all-powerful Helix Crystal, the most legendary and powerful crystal in Atmos…" Finn ran a finger along the table's edge. "I think that's all we need to know."

"And if Cyclonis has all the other books on this…" Piper gently closed the book.

Junko joined them. "And if she gets the crystal…"

"Atmos is in for some big trouble," Stork finished. The Condor moaned under his skillful hands as he took them around a forbidding storm cloud. It was getting dark outside.

"This is bad," Finn said gloomily, standing up. "If Cyclonis can come as close as she did to ruling Atmos with the Aurora Stone, then think what she could do with something like this Soul Crystal."

Piper once again opened the book. "I just wish I knew what it did…"

Finn turned with a frown on his face. "What should we tell Aerrow?"

The page would not reveal its secrets. Piper looked up to where Aerrow was probably sleeping. "I don't know."

Finn walked heavily over to where Corwyin remained in his own little world, staring out into the stormy clouds. "Look, man. Isn't there anything else you can tell us?"

Corwyin's head turned a smidgen away from the window and Finn blinked in surprise to see the old man's face streaked with tears. "The Soul Crystal. Terra Odranoel." He turned back, pressing his forehead to the glass. "It's all safe. The Terra can't be found."

"Listen, man. You know of Cyclonis, right?" Finn knelt beside Corwyin. "Atmos isn't safe. What do you know about the crystal?"

"I know of the crystal." Corwyin's fingers stirred. "That terrible, terrible Crystal."

Stork remained silent.

"That horrible, horrible crystal," Corwyin whispered. "It's kind of funny that I never thought of it until now. That crystal."

Finn placed his hand on the old man's skinny shoulder. "What about it?"

Corwyin rubbed his hand on his wrinkled forehead. "I don't remember."

Lightning clashed. The storm was gathering.

As I promised, next chapter will be more action and less talking. DON'T FORGET TO REVIEW!! REVIEW! REVIEW! next update won't take so long, i promise.


	43. Hospitality or Hostility

**Hospitality or Hostility**

Told u all that I would update sooner than last time! :) Don't forget to review!

Oh yeah. I put a concept of Stajj on my Deviantart account. Just if u want to see it: supergirlofsteel./art/Stajj-the-Fawngo-95933528

* * *

_The amber color of the Soul Crystal swirled like stirred honey, the crystal sucking in its dormant appearance as it awoke from its slumber. The amber formed the iris and the black pupil shrank and grew, adjusting to the blinding sun reflecting brilliantly off its surrounding imprisonment of glass._

_And then the wails began._

_The calling voices started softly, as if from a great distance, but grew in intensity as the Soul Crystal's pupil shrank threateningly at the presence of a stranger. The shouts and sobs for mercy grew so loud that Stork's head ached, but the merb had by then gave up on attempting to block the wails out._

_"Help!"_

* * *

Stork woke with a start, his brain throbbing from the intensity of his dream. The newly identified Soul crystal, the glass terra, the cries for help, nothing made sense. He had the same exact vision yesterday, the day before yesterday, and the day before that. What in the name of bat repellant was it trying to tell him?

"I need some cabbage," the tired merb mumbled, raising his head and massaging his heavy eyes. Stork had fallen asleep at the dining table, again. The others had long since gone to bed, finally finished with their arguing and plans. He told them to look up the soul crystal, and now the others know (with the exception of poor Aerrow) of its mysterious power. He steered them to the gloomy idea of the possibility of Cyclonis' pursuit, and they accepted the idea as inevitable. And yet there still remained so many questions. What is the Soul Crystal's power? Does Cyclonis know as much as we do? What exactly happened to the two squadrons who disappeared so many years ago? Stork knew the one and the only important matter worth their focus at the moment: Atmos was in trouble. The Storm Hawks had to find the terra before Cyclonis did.

With a sigh, Stork straightened his stiff back and stood up, feeling the Condor's slumber beneath his feet. He had halted their aimless roam around Atmos at a small uninhabited crop of rock near Terra Rex, feeling that the heavily guarded (if a bit uptight) terra would discourage any attempt of a Cyclonian ambush. Better safe than sorry.

"Good morning, old girl," Stork crooned to his beloved ship. His skillful hands flew through several levers and the carrier shifted. Her engines coughed to life and her hum ran up her length to Stork's sensitive toes. _Good morning._

The Condor's grappling hooks pulled free from the rock overhang and receded into their storage compartments. It was a nice morning. The east horizon was a breathtaking display of crimson and fiery orange, streaked across the sky like a paintbrush's masterpiece. Not a cloud blemished the blue and the wind currents were steady and calm. A nice day for flying, but not just for the Storm Hawks.

Stork's heart jumped as he turned the Condor's nose toward the rising sun. Several dark vehicles were approaching the Condor from the direction of Terra Rex. Cyclonians? Starling? Circus clowns with jetpacks? The merb abandoned the carrier's controls and lowered the ever-so-useful periscope, swiveling it to reveal the intruders' identities. Murk Raiders? The Colonel? Raptors? Relatives?

"Ooooooooooooh," Stork groaned, letting the periscope fold back up. "Rex Guardians."

* * *

"Piper!" The urgent whisper outside the navigator's door was followed by a gentle knock. "Piper! Wake up!"

Piper opened her sleepy eyes and glared daggers at the door. The one night she'd actually been able to sleep well just happened to be the one with the lousy morning. "What, Stork?" It wasn't that she was angry with her friend, but she had to admit that she was pretty sick of all things Terra Odranoel.

"Rex Guardians!"

Crap. Piper rolled from her bed and staggered to the door, combing out her bed head with her fingers. Stork, hearing her footsteps, darted back to the bridge.

"Finn!" Piper pounded her fist twice upon his door as she rushed down the hall toward the hanger bay. "Junko! Get up!" The navigator rounded the corner and was gone.

"Huh?" A very sleepy Finn peered out from his room, blinking owlishly. "Is the pizza here?"

Junko's door opened and the wallop yawned. "Pizza?" The undersized nightcap covering one ear drooped over his eyes.

* * *

Piper could almost hear the pompous music play as the Rex Guardians came to a stop in the hanger bay, one after another in an orderly and drilled fashion. The ancient skimmers appeared very much out of place beside the Storm Hawks' patched and colorful vehicles, almost as much as their owners.

_Smile, Piper, smile! _Piper greeted the Rex Guardians with a convincing grin, outstretching her hand as the sky knight Harrier stepped down from his skimmer and approached her. The gold armor, so orderly assembled and polished, hurt Piper's eyes even in the dime lighting of the Condor's garage. If Aerrow had armor like that, then perhaps he wouldn't be injured. That and he would look quite dashing.

"Miss Piper," Harrier said formally, taking her hand and pressing it to his lips. "I do hope you don't mind us dropping so early."

Half of Piper's bangs were bunched up on her forehead, remnants of her deep sleep. Only five minutes ago was she snuggled deep inside her blankets. "Oh no, not at all. Let me show you to the bridge."

Harrier's eyes rove over the tire marks on the hanger bay's floor. "Thank you. I would like that very much."

A little unnerved by the suspicion in the older man's voice, Piper turned and led the way through the door. The Rex Guardians followed, one by one.

* * *

Finn and Junko drew back into their rooms in surprise as Piper wordlessly walked pass them, closely followed by the Rex Guardians. Guilt and unease was visibly stamped on their faces.

The door drew up to reveal the bridge of the Condor. Piper slipped inside and allowed Harrier and his squadron to enter. At the sound of steel footsteps, Stork's delicate ears twitched, but he didn't turn around. His hands remained on the Condor's main control, although the carrier continued to hover in place.

"So this is the famed Condor of the legendary Storm Hawks," Harrier said, folding his hands behind his back and drinking in the sight.

Piper tried to calm herself. The old skycow hide containing the map of ancient Atmos was back beneath her bed, Aerrow was still his room fast asleep, and Corwyin was in Starling's guest room. She had locked the door herself, not wanting the old man to wander the ship and possibly hurt himself. There was nothing that the Rex Guardians would find out of place.

The book!

_Property of the Atmosian Library. Prohibited to the public. _The big stamp on the leather cover was face up, left on the meeting/dining table where anyone could read it. Piper thought her heart would stop.

"So, what brings the (_Stork!_) famous Rex Guardians (_Stork!_) to visit us (_Stork!_) the Storm Hawks?" A huge smile split Piper's face, her eyes darting from Harrier to the back of Stork's neck. The merb peered over his shoulder at her questioningly.

"Well," Harrier drawled out, strolling along the side of the bridge. He drew his index finger across the armrest of a chair and inspected it. "It's just that your ship the Condor has been reported to pass by our terra seven times in the past two days." Harrier continued his stroll to the main controls, turning his attention upon the skinny pilot avoiding any eye contact. "Engine trouble, perhaps?"

Stork sneaked another glimpse of Piper over his shoulder. The navigator's eyes craned toward the table. The Atmosian book lay prone upon its top.

"Oh, no, no," Stork said quickly. Harrier recoiled as the merb darted to his side and pushed him to the Condor's control. "But I have been noticing some strange… sounds coming from the… underside of the… the… thing. Perhaps you and your very experienced and smart squadron could find out what's going wrong?"

Harrier's hands hovered above the wheel, hesitant to touch it. "Uh…"

"Great! Thank you so much!" Piper ushered his squadron to the sky knight. "I know that talented people such as yourselves can fix our home as good as new!"

"Well, we're not all that familiar with carrier design as old as this, but we could…" the Rex Guardian mechanic looked about the bridge. "Where'd they go?"

* * *

Stork peered around the corner, fearing that the bridge door would open at any second and Harrier would come marching out, aware of their illegal possession. The prohibited book clasped in his hands trembled. He had been too careless for comfort.

Piper pressed a hand to her chest, breathing hard. "I thought we were caught for sure."

"They're more concerned with how clean the place is than what it contains." Stork raised the book. "We need to hide this."

"Storm Hawks?" Harrier's voice, visibly angry, penetrated the door. "There's nothing wrong with your ship. Get back in here."

"Uhh…" Piper snatched the volume and ran down the hall in a quick sprint.

"Hey, why are the Rex Guar-oomf!" Finn was bowled over by the heavy book and Piper shut his door just as the bridge door opened.

"Sorry, sorry," Piper said innocently to the suspicious Harrier and his squadron. "Just making sure our wingman's door is secure. He's having a big of a gas problem."

"Hey!" came from within.

Harrier gave the door a sidelong glance. "Is that so?"

"Anyway, _nothing _to worry about," Piper said cheerfully, taking the older man's arm and attempting to steer him back to the bridge.

Harrier brushed her off like a pesky fly. "Where is your sky knight?"

"Um…" Piper looked to Stork for support. He was gone. "Aerrow's… asleep. He had a long day yesterday." Where did Stork go?!

"Or, perhaps, a few days ago?"

Piper's heart sped up but her bright smile didn't dim. "Why would you say that?"

Harrier turned his back and gazed down at a random crystal left on a storage bin. "I have reports of a Cyclonian raid on Atmosia just a couple of days ago." He picked the green crystal up, pinky held in the air. "Know anything?"

Terror clenched in her chest. _Oh crap, we're caught._

Further suspicious at her silence, Harrier turned and tossed the crystal to her. She half-heartedly caught it. "The Storm Hawks attempted to stop the Dark Ace and his minions."

"Yes, we did."

"And there was a big of a battle."

"Yes."

"Anyone harmed?"

For a moment, telling this highly-ranked sky knight of Aerrow's injury seemed like a good idea, but then an image of her friend lying in a small room surrounded by doctors like a prisoner wormed its way into her brain. Aerrow had already spent a month in the hospital a while ago after their first encounter with Stajj and his Morphing Crystal. A return trip would crush him. "A few bruises, but no real harm. Everyone's fine." She prayed that she was doing the right thing.

"Hmm." Piper couldn't tell if the older man believed her or not. "Anything else I should know?"

That they took in a crazy old man, former member of the squadrons whom disappeared years ago in the search of a terra thought to be the home of the sibling of the all-powerful Helix Crystal? "No. I'm sorry we weren't able to stop the Dark Ace. He got away with whatever he stole."

"You didn't manage to obtain anything?"

Piper took a deep breath and let it out. "No."

Harrier studied her face, and then, to her great relief, turned away and started for the hanger bay. His squadron wordlessly followed, obviously put up by their shabby surroundings. "Very well. It was nice…" Harrier skirted Radarr, who had apparently left Aerrow to investigate the newcomers. "…Seeing you. A word of caution of the Cyclonians. Sightings of talons have tripled in the last few days."

Piper's heart hammered violently as they passed by Finn's closed door. She remained frozen until the revving of skimmers began and the sound of wings snapping open dulled into the distance. Then her held breath came out in a big _whoosh._

"We didn't get caught."

Piper shot the approaching merb a scowl. "You ditched me!"

Stork, a little taken aback by her burst, gestured sharply over his shoulder. "I ditched you so that I could stop Mr. Rebellious Sky Knight from walking out in the middle of the Rex Guardians! Thanks to him, our cover was almost blown!"

Piper pressed a trembling hand to her forehead. "That was too close."

Finn opened his door a crack and peered out. "Can I come out now?"

"Yes, yes," Piper sighed, turning back toward the bridge. "Let's get away from Terra Rex and find somewhere that we can rest in peace."

Junko, who had been wisely hiding in his room for the entire ordeal, suddenly exploded through his door. "So when are we going to find Terra Odranoel?"

"Aha! I knew it!" Harrier leaped from around the corner of the hallway, his eyes wide and his index finger pointing accusingly at Piper. "You're in big trouble, Storm Hawks!"

They could only gape at him in shock.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Aerrow hurled himself onto Harrier's back, smacking the older man's head with his bandaged arms and bowling him onto the ground. Caught completely off guard, Harrier hit his forehead hard upon the floor and rolled twice before settling against the wall, stunned.

The angry sky knight stood over the Rex Guardian. His red hair was flattened on one side of his head and his clothes were ruffled, but to Piper, he never looked better. Aerrow blinked as the navigator embraced him in a hug. "Oh, thank you thank you thank you!"

Aerrow raised his chin to glare at the others over her spiked hair. "Who let Rex Guardians on my ship?"

They all pointed at Piper.

* * *

An hour later, the Condor broke from its hover alongside the uninhabited outcrop of rock and began its journey westward, away from Terra Rex and the sun. If the Storm Hawks thought they had it rough, then it just got a whole lot harder.

"I can't believe we're letting him go," Finn said bitterly, pressing his forehead against the window to see back the way they came. He could just make out the form of Harrier tied and gagged on the rock, left behind wide awake and fuming. "As soon as they pick him up, it'll take no time at all before Atmosia is reached and informed."

"Well, it would be kind of mean to drop him into the wastelands," Junko said.

Stork allowed the wind currents to sweep the Condor above the clouds and Harrier was soon far behind. "Then it's time to get out of here."

Finn turned to look over his shoulder with a wry grin. "I've never been a wanted criminal in Atmos before. It's kind of exciting." He paused, and then turned all the way around, hands on his hips. "How come you're not yelling at me, Piper?"

"Well," the tired navigator said, setting down the prohibited Atmosian book on the table and sitting down beside Aerrow. "I guess because it's true. Terra Odranoel must be found and if no one else is going to join us, then it's up to us alone."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Finn cut her off with a wave of his hand. "Just yesterday you were completely against finding Odranodon. What changed your mind so sudden?"

"It's Odranoel, Finn." Piper rubbed her arms. "It's what Harrier said. He told me a word of caution of the Cyclonians. Sightings of talons have tripled in the last few days. That can only mean that Cyclonis is on the move. She wants the Soul Crystal."

"Or the Soul Crystal wants her," Stork muttered to himself. He had a bad feeling in his stomach.

The Storm Hawks, now the outlaws of the very terra they swore their allegiance to, rose high above the clouds, melting into the skies far from any hostile eyes. As the day wore on and the terras far beneath looked less and less inviting, each member of the squadron wondered what their mission had in store for them. Riches? Fame? Death?

Hospitality or Hostility?

* * *

Ooh. Suspence. REVIEW!!


	44. Wanted

Wanted

PLEASE READ THIS!! I have posted the cover of my Hospitality or Hostility comic on my Deviantart account. I also have a concept of Stajj, and a picture that goes with this chapter. Go ahead and see it! :) supergirlofsteel./

And no, I have not seen 'Atmos most wanted' when I wrote this chapter. If you haven't seen any of the new Storm Hawk episodes, then you can see them on Youtube.

Because of the long wait for update and drag of the storyline lately, this is the longest, funniest, most suspensful chapter I think I have ever written. Please don't skip over anything! Enjoy!

* * *

"I'm not so sure about this, Aerrow," Junko gulped, pulling the hood of his simple cloak lower across his face.

"Just keep your eyes where you're going," Aerrow said reassuringly as they approached the door to the Supplies Depot. It was crowded. "Just keep your hoods up and don't speak to anyone. We need these supplies if we're going to be on the run for a while."

The sky knight stopped at the door and waited until Finn opened it for him, and then stepped inside. Luckily, everyone was too busy with conversation and food to notice three cloaked strangers. The chef was busy grilling burgers.

"Junko, get four new engine crystals and enough parts to keep our skimmers together after a battle," Aerrow said in a low voice to Junko. The wallop nodded and headed for the hardware half of the store, bent over like a hunchbacked bear. "Finn, help me get food."

Suddenly the narrow aisle between the rows of packed tables to the counter seemed miles away. Finn swallowed hard.

"You hear 'bout the Storm Hawks, ay?" Billy Rex of the Absolute Zeros said to his teammate. "Poor saps. I liked 'em."

"Nev'r show their faces here ag'n," the Blizzarian said, shaking his head. Two cloaked figures tiptoed passed them behind their backs.

The huge chef turned from the grill as someone rang the little bell for attention. Wiping his hands on a rag, he faced two strange men in cloaks. "What can I do ye for?"

The shorter of the two placed a small pouch of coins on the counter top and pushed it toward him. "Give us a month's supply of food and two jugs of fresh water."

The chef overturned the pouch to inspect the amount inside. "That's a mighty lot of supplies. Going somewhere?"

The taller stranger appeared to step on the other's foot as the latter opened his mouth to speak. "It's business. Nothing to know."

The chef had run into their type before and wisely ended the subject. "I getcha. I'll get my apprentice right on it."

"I would appreciate if you'd hurry," the taller one said before turning away. A bit of red hair poked out from under his hood.

Aerrow could hear himself breathing as he and Finn sought an unoccupied table. The harsh fabric of the cloak scratched his cheeks, but he couldn't reach up to fix his hood. He could only hope that the crude disguise was enough to hide his identity.

"There." Finn pointed to their left. A small table sat empty and alone in a corner. Perfect.

"I hope Junko's doing alright," Finn whispered as they sat. It was too crowded to see into the hardware area, so the sharpshooter sat up straight, craning his head back to see around the crowds.

"Finn!" Aerrow hissed, catching the edge of Finn's hood in his teeth and giving it a hard tug. "Stay down. If someone recognized Junko, we'd have known by now."

"You're right, sorry," the sharpshooter said, keeping his head down. "Do you see anyone we know?"

"There's those two Absolute Zeros, but I don't see anyone else," Aerrow said. He turned his head slightly to study a newcomer. He was hoping they'd find Starling.

"Guys!" Junko slipped by the crowds and hunched over them, holding up a sheet of paper. "This was pinned up by the hardware counter."

It was a wanted poster of Corwyin. As Aerrow gaped at it, Finn whistled. "Wow, that's a good price."

The Storm Hawks had dropped Corwyin off at Wren and Dove's. The Red Eagles were enough protection from any persecution, but Aerrow suddenly felt a nervous twist in his gut. He knew that Corwyin wasn't a popular guy, but wanted as a criminal?

Junko withdrew the poster into his cloak, whimpering, "What are we going to do?"

Across the room, a Rex Guardian entered the building. Aerrow spotted him and kicked Junko in the leg. "Sit down! Rex Guardian!"

There were only two chairs at the small table, so the frightened wallop crouched down with his back to the crowds. Aerrow and Finn stared down at the tabletop and their hoods fell down to completely cover their faces; just three cloaked strangers waiting for an order.

The Rex Guardian walked over to the counter where the large chef and his assistant were tying up sacks containing the disguised Storm Hawks' supplies. He ran the little bell for attention and the chef straightened, leaving his young assistant to finish the order alone. "What can I do ye for?"

_Wham! _The Guardian let fall a large stack of papers onto the counter. "I have direct orders from the Atmosian Council to put these up at every Supply Depot in Atmos. Resisting will result in arrest."

A little taken aback, the chef gestured at his restaurant and guests. "Go ahead n' post 'em, hand 'em out."

The Rex Guardian took a sheet from the top and withdrew a small stapler from his shiny uniform pocket. Pressing the sheet to the small pole running from the counter to the ceiling, he stapled it firmly and went on to the next pillar. Aerrow sneaked a quick glance.

It was across the room and partially blotted out by the milling people, but the sky knight wasn't stupid. He could make out the giant WANTED at the top of the page and his red hair below it. The crowd shifted and the left side of Finn's face was visible. It was a wanted poster. Of them.

Crap. Aerrow stood up. "Let's get out of here."

The chef looked up as the two cloaked men returned, this time accompanied by a third, twice as large and also cloaked. "Is our order ready?" the taller man asked in a husky voice.

"Sure thing," the chef said. "But it'll take a few trips to take it all."

"No time," the taller man said. "Just load it in a cart and we'll be on our way."

"'K," the chef shrugged. He turned to his apprentice. "Get a cart."

Aerrow immediately wished he hadn't asked. it was a cart, but a small one. The supplies, all tied up in sacks, rose up to Junko's height. People who hadn't paid any attention to them before now twisted around in their seats to stare.

"Thanks," Aerrow said gruffly to the chef. Junko slung the hardware supplies in with the food and began to push the overburdened cart toward the door. Aerrow and Finn followed.

"Hey!"

Cold beads of sweat sprang up on the back of Aerrow's neck.

"Keep a look out for these dangerous criminals," the Rex Guardian said, stepping in front of Aerrow. He held out a poster for the disguised sky knight to take.

"Uh…" Aerrow couldn't see the Guardian's face from beneath his hood. "No thanks."

The poster, containing his squadrons' scowling faces, shook as the Guardian determinedly stepped closer. "Take it."

Harrier knew that Aerrow had broken his arms from their previous encounter. Already suspicious looking, the last thing he wanted to do was give the guardian a reason to flip his hood back. Where was Finn when he needed him?!

Keeping his face down, Aerrow tried to brush past the Guardian. The Guardian pushed him back, a little angry. "Are you deaf? Just take it!"

Aerrow didn't get the chance to come up with an excuse. His teammates, completely unaware of their leader's dilemma, continued to the door and swung it open. A gust of wind blew into the building and Aerrow's cloak parted, revealing his Storm Hawk uniform and slung arms. The heavy fabric quickly fell back into place, but the Rex Guardian had already seen it. He dropped his stack of papers and wretched back Aerrow's hood. "Storm Hawk!"

Everyone turned to look and the building became silent. Eyes studied Aerrow, went to the wanted posters, and then returned to Aerrow.

_Uh oh…_

"Seize him!" The Rex Guardian cried, lunging at him with his sword half-drawn. Aerrow was quicker. The sky knight dodged him, his feet screeching across the floor, and took off like a maniac toward the door. The Absolute Zeros leaped up and blocked him, baring their jagged teeth. His cloak blown back over his shoulders from his dash, Aerrow's uniform was completely exposed. The Blizzarians snarled.

"Sorry!" Junko's fist swept them both aside and Finn skidded to Aerrow's side, urging the sky knight on. The Rex Guardian stopped in his tracks at the sight of the wallop.

"No fight'n in here!" hollered the chef.

Finn pushed Aerrow out the door and Junko followed, shoving the overburdened cart in front of him. The second the wallop left the building, the fallen Absolute Zeros and the Guardian rushed the door. Junko turned and, clamping his large hands on either side of the doorframe, he squished it into an hourglass figure. Their pursuers inside were forced to a stop.

Finn grabbed the cart from where Junko left it and began to run with it toward their skimmers. "Let's get out of here!"

The cart hit a bump and the sacks went flying, hitting the ground with enough force to cause them to explode. Food went everywhere. Finn fell to his knees and began to gather the nearest loaves of bread and fruit.

"Junko!" Aerrow yelled back to the wallop, his heart beating wildly. "Help!"

Junko abandoned their yelling pursuers trapped within the Supplies Depot and ran to the scattered food. Aerrow, who couldn't exactly do anything useful, kicked morsels at his teammates as they scrabbled around, stuffing provisions back into the sacks.

_Smash! _A yellow bolt sped out the side of the Supplies Depot, breaking a window into smithereens. Aerrow subdued his panic and set on foot on the cart. "Forget the sacks. Grab whatever you can and get to the skimmers!"

"Uh… uh…" Finn had two glowing engine crystals in each hand. He looked over his shoulder as the two Absolute Zeros, the Guardian, and a mob of others leaped out the broken window. He stuffed the two large crystals down his shirt. Junko followed his friend's example and put an entire watermelon down his pants.

Aerrow swung the cart to the left, took aim, and gave it a hard push. The Guardian and another saw it coming too late, but the rest dodged it. The sky knight turned. "Go!"

Finn leaped up, his stuffed chest bouncing. Junko unsteadily got to his feet. Just as the mob reached the spilt food, the three Storm Hawks ran. Junko, a little slowed down by the large watermelon and gloopy fruit between his legs, waddled faster and overtook Finn and Aerrow as yellow bolt after bolt whizzed by too close for comfort. The Rex Guardian was back up and his sword blazed with energy.

Never had Aerrow been so relieved to see his skimmers, parked at the very edge of the dock and partially blocked by a carrier. Finn vaulted over the back of his vehicle into the seat. Aerrow sat behind him. Junko attempted to do the same, but the food in his pants crunched under his weight. Juice ran down. "Oopsie."

"Give up and maybe we'll be easy, ay!" An Absolute Zero shouted. The Rex Guardian shot one last bolt after them just as they drove their skimmers off the dock's edge. Finn and Aerrow dropped down out of sight, and then reappeared in flight… right into the bolt. Smoke burst from the skimmer's back and the wings wiggled, but the vehicle stayed aloft. The pursuers could only stand there as the Storm Hawks got away.

Billy Rex bent down and scooped up a dropped fruit. He offered it to his teammate. "Apple?"

* * *

"Aw, crud…" Stork muttered as he studied the two fast approaching skimmers through the Condor's periscope. Smoke bellowed from the second vehicle's engines. The merb released the periscope and yelled over his shoulder. "Piper!"

Piper dashed onto the bridge, saw the distant skimmers, and then whirled around to run back the way she came. The navigator fairly flew down the halls toward the hanger bay as Stork turned the Condor to meet their friends.

* * *

"C'mon, c'mon!" Finn hissed at his skimmer's swiveling dials. "Don't talk back to me!"

Aerrow's eyes streamed as the wind once again shifted and the sky knight was enveloped in smoke. Junko, flying just ahead of them, kept looking back as if to reassure himself that they were still aloft. Aerrow squinted. Is that… yes! It was! The Condor blasted her horn and began to move toward them, shortening their distance to travel.

As the Condor came within a few leagues, Finn's skimmer announced its failure. The engines sputtered and the entire vehicle lurched, struggling to stay airborne. The icy claw of fear gripped Aerrow's heart. _If we fall now, we'll crash to bits on the Condor's runway._

Junko began to descend, glancing back as Finn did the same. Aerrow closed his eyes and gripped his knees like a vice around the sputtering skimmer. _Please don't crash, please don't crash, please crash, please don't crash, please don't crash, please don't crash, please don't crash!!_

"Aerrow… you can open your eyes."

The sky knight opened one eye and allowed it to rove around the hanger bay. The damaged skimmer was parked and Finn stood alongside him, waving a hand in front of his face. Aerrow opened the other, a bit embarrassed.

"I thought for sure that we were going to crash," Finn said, his voice betraying the moment of panic. "But it'll take more than a Rex Guardian to take down my baby!" He gave his skimmer a proud pat.

With a groan, the vehicle fell into a heap of rubble from under his fingers. Aerrow was left sitting on nothing and fell hard on his rear amid the skimmer's parts, not having arms to cushion his fall.

"Aerrow!" Piper dashed into the hanger bay and went straight to the fallen sky knight. Radarr leaped from her shoulder to his as she helped Aerrow up. "What happened? Where's the supplies?" Before Aerrow could say anything, Piper turned to Finn. "What did you do?"

Finn backed away, puttng up his hands as if to ward off an attack. "I didn't do anything!"

"Finn's telling the truth, Piper," Aerrow said quickly. "It's my fault. A Rex Guardian recognized me and we had to run and leave the supplies behind."

"So you three bought a month's worth of food and hardware… and you left it all behind."

"No quite!" Finn opened his shirt and two large engine crystals fell out to clatter on the floor. "I managed to save these."

Junko stood up from his vehicle. Fruit pulp dribbled down his pants and dripped from his seat. "Umm… juice anyone?"

"First we were short on food and hardware, and now we're short on money!" Piper pressed her index finger and thumb to the bridge of her nose in frustration. "Now what? We can't go back to the Supplies Depot! They'll recognize us!"

"Before we worry about that, let's get as far away from here as we can," Aerrow said grimly, heading for the door. He stopped, waiting for Finn to open it. When the sharpshooter absent-mindedly made no move to help, the sky knight kicked the door impatiently.

"Oh! Right!" Finn reached past Aerrow and swung the door open. Aerrow brushed by him, followed by Piper and Junko. Finn entered last.

* * *

Stork didn't stop the Condor's ascend until they were well above the clouds. The merb pulled the airship into hover and cut off all unnecessary power, lest any passing hunters heard them.

"Alright, team," Aerrow announced to his squadron. They, with the exception of the pilot, were gathered around the bridge's meeting/dining table. "We're short on supplies and money and we can't risk going to any Supplies Depot. Our little encounter with the Rex Guardian will put guards at every available stop in Atmos, and they won't hesitate to pull off a cloak or robe."

Piper continued. "So what we need are disguises. Good, thorough disguises that'll change us entirely. We'll tear up blankets, cut our hair, destroy our uniforms if we have to-"

"Or!" Stork turned from the Condor's controls and put up a knowing finger. "I'll be… right back." He zipped off toward his quarters.

"And while he's doing that," Finn said. "I'll be… right back." He took off for the bathroom.

Not even a minute later, Stork returned, carrying a large, heavy chest in his arms. Aerrow and Junko hastily backed off as Stork came between them and dropped the chest upon the tabletop with a bang. The merb turned the lock's dial twelve times and then opened the old lid, exposing its contents.

"Clothes?" Piper reached in and pulled out a straw sombrero. "Why do you have a chest full of clothes?"

"Oh, you know…" Stork chuckled, leaning in real close. "Just in case." His eye twitched.

Piper looked from the large hat, to Aerrow, and then back. With a smile, she plopped it on his head and, taking the length of red hair lining his cheek, she held it across his upper lip. "This might just work…" She said thoughtfully.

* * *

"Perfect!" Piper said to herself, rolling up the map and standing up from her desk. "Sky Side Shanty it is."

The old landmark was the best stop she could come up with. It was aloof from other terras, and it was a popular place to eat for traders and sky fishers, the kind that no one would want to mess with. The shanty was also the place for scoundrels and men down on their luck to drown their sorrows in drink, and it was common for wanted criminals to pay a visit. In disguise, they would fit right in. But of course, it depended on what kind of outfits Stork's chest contained.

Her room was a complete mess, but she'd have to clean it later. Sky Side Shanty was a long ways away and Stork would need to begin the journey immediately if they were to reach it before nightfall. Aerrow, Finn, Junko, and Radarr were to zip in, find what they needed, and then zip out. If the plan went smoothly, and if the boys actually stuck to it, nothing should go wrong.

She hoped.

Piper exited her room and headed for the bridge, her rolled up map tucked under one arm. As she did, the toilet flushed and Finn stumbled from the bathroom, fanning the air like a mad pigeon.

"Too many gloopy fruit?" Piper asked with a smile.

Finn stopped and watched her walk by with a scowl. She glanced over her shoulder as he followed. "Do you have your disguise ready?"

Finn blinked blankly. "What disguise?"

Piper stopped in disbelief. "You've been in the bathroom all this time?"

Finn outspread his arms. "I had to go!"

"We'll see what Stork has left," Piper said irritably, opening the doors to the bridge. The current events, together with Finn's antics, were taking a heavy toll on her mood. As the doors rose to reveal the bridge, Piper nearly dropped the map.

Aerrow dangled with Junko's arms looped under his armpits, lifting him clear from the floor. Radarr was tugging the sky knight's pants off, exposing Aerrow's plaid boxers. Junko's hair was combed down in his face and he was topless but for a scarred leather jacket, but apparently Aerrow needed some help.

All three turned to stare at Piper. Finn sniggered from behind her back as she gaped back.

Junko looked down at Aerrow hanging from his hands. "Um… we're still working on him."

"Rawr." Radarr tugged his master's pant leg.

Recovering from the sudden scene, Piper put up a hand to block the image and skirted them to the Condor's controls. Stork was nowhere to be seen, but, judging by the jug of mind worm repellant coffee (decaf) set steaming and fresh by the levers, he would be back soon. She left the map, Sky Side Shanty circled in red, on the wheel.

Finn, meanwhile, prodded Junko's hair. "How'd you comb it down so flat?"

Junko grinned. "Gloopy fruit juice."

"Alright, Finn," Piper said, opening the lid of Stork's chest. "Let's see what's left."

"I could be an Amazonian hunk," Finn said, striking a pose. "Or a Tropica surfer! I could mimic the accent, scrub on a little sun crystal for a good tan, and Aerrow has a pair of Tropica boxers that'll be perfect for shorts!"

Aerrow finally had his outfit's pants on. They were brown, a little poofy, and as patched on the left pantleg. He shot Finn a look before Junko dropped the poncho over his head. The poncho, deep red and scuffed, settled over his shoulders down to his stomach, concealing his broken arms.

"And then," Finn continued. "I'll get my sunglasses and dye my hair chestnut brown. Girls like a good chestnut brown."

Piper lifted something from the chest and let out a loud, barking laugh.

Finn scowled. "You think that's funny?"

"First of all, Finn," Piper said, trying to stifle her laughter. "You won't look different enough by changing the color of your hair and just being an even more stuck up version of yourself. And, I'm afraid there's only one outfit left."

"Yeah?" Finn asked, cocking his head. "What is it?"

Piper held it out.

At first Finn gaped at it. Then he laughed, thinking it was a joke. When Piper's smile didn't change, he turned and ran for it.

"Junko, I'll help Aerrow with the rest of his disguise," Piper said, holding the last outfit out to the wallop. "Go fit Finn into this. There's grapefruit in the fridge."

Without a flinch, Junko took the outfit and walked at his own steady pace toward where Finn had disappeared. "Don't worry, Piper. I'm on it."

Aerrow, clothed in his scruffy pants and poncho, shook his head in pity. "That's mean."

"But he'll look different," Piper said. "That's for sure."

* * *

Sky Side Shanty jutted up from the sun kissed clouds like a bad smell, skimmers and a trio of carriers parked at its dock. Stork halted the Condor at a safe distance and the spare skimmers, plain and brown with no insignia, were ready in the hanger bay.

Piper leaned back against the bridge table, satisfied with her work. Before her stood two unrecognizable scoundrels, varying in cultures and colors.

Aerrow wore the large sombrero with his hair tucked up under its brim. A mustache, made up of his own hair (to his great displeasure) was glued to his lip and Piper had added a small scar on his cheek. The red poncho hid his arms and uniform well and his poofy pants were tucked into black boots; a donation from his closet.

Junko had put his outfit together himself. The wallop was topless but for a short faded green vest that barely reached his midriff, of which half of the buttons was missing. He had dug up an eyepatch and a black pirate hat from Finn's room and wore both, although the hat was way too small. Worn breeches were belted on by a long sash, in which was thrust a sword (plastic). His grey hair hung down in his eyes and he had even added a goatee, giving him a tough air.

"Finn!" Piper called. "Are you ready?"

Silence… and then, "no!"

Junko, ever the kind one, peeked around the corner and gave thumbs up. "You look great! I can't even tell it's you!"

After a moment of hesitation, Finn grudgingly stepped onto the bridge.

Aerrow, Piper and Radarr clapped hands over their mouths. Stork, staying put by the Condor's controls, glanced over his shoulder, froze, and then slowly turned back.

Finn was the best. In fact, he wasn't Finn at all. Finn the blond, hotshot, masculine sharpshooter was now… a woman.

A bright pink bandana bound his long, thick black locks back over his shoulders, his polished hooped earrings rustling the material every time he moved. One curl of black hair stuck out to hang across his forehead, complimenting the mascara coating his eyes. Binding the pair of grapefruits to his chest was a frilly long sleeved shirt, overlapped by a light pink corset. A patched skirt spilt down from under the corset to nearly his ankles, allowing his pantyhose and high-heels to show. (dang)

"Oh, c'mon," Aerrow said cheerfully, nudging his glum friend. "It'll only be for a few hours."

Finn adjusted the pillows widening his hips. "It better be." He rubbed his back. "Ugh… these grapefruits are heavy."

Piper took a small pack of coins from the table top and solemnly handed them to Junko. "There's enough money in there for at least four weeks of food and two more engine crystals if you can find them. And remember, if you get in any trouble, signal us."

"Right," Aerrow responded with a nod of his head. Piper smiled, but it quickly faded. "We'll be careful," he quickly added.

"Please be _very _careful," Piper said. She gave him a hug, released him, and watched them file out the door for the hanger bay. Radarr followed.

Stork stalked to his empty chest and shut the lid. "They're doomed."

* * *

The scuffed outside wall of Sky Side Shanty was clean of wanted posters. A breath of relief escaped Aerrow's lungs as he dismounted his skimmer. Radarr, who had flown his master's vehicle, leaped from the wheel to the ground. Junko did the same, but as Finn lifted his skirt and attempted to swing his leg over, his high heel caught on the fabric and he tumbled over with a cry. Junko caught him with a smile.

Aerrow's heart beat like a jackhammer as they headed toward the door to the building. Where their disguises good enough? They've visited enough times to be recognizable. Radarr, the only one not in disguise, ducked under Finn's voluminous skirt. His tail stuck out.

_Ding _went the door as Junk opened it and they filed in. for once, only a few glances were thrown their way. Every time the Storm Hawks had visited the shanty in the past, everyone would fall silent and turn to stare at them. This time, no one bothered. Aerrow caught his reflection in an empty frame on the wall as they walked in .It was almost scary not recognizing himself. He looked down just in time to avoid stepping on Radarr's tail. "Radarr," he hissed. "Your tail!"

Radarr disappeared altogether and Finn shivered as cold sky monkey feet climbed up to cling to his left leg.

The waitress didn't even look at them as they sat at a stained table, waiting to be served. Radarr, gripping to Finn's leg under his skirt, let out a sharp squawk as the sharpshooter sat down and pinched his paws.

"So far, so good," Aerrow muttered.

The waitress set down the glass she was polishing and strolled around the counter to their table in a world-weary way. She pulled out a pad of paper and a small pencil, shifted her weight on one leg, and chewed her gum as she said, "Whaddya want?"

Aerrow lowered his voice has far as he could without damaging his vocal cords and said," we need as much food as this money can buy and two engine crystals if you have them."

It was Junko's cue to place the pouch of coins on the tabletop, but the wallop did nothing. The waitress eyed them warily. "No money, no goods."

Aerrow nudged Junko. The wallop blinked at him, and then something clicked in his brain. "Oh yeah!" He dug the pouch from his vest's pocket and handed them politely to the waitress. Aerrow felt like breaking his forehead on the table.

The waitress weighed it in her hand. "T'aint much, but it'll getcha 'bout that much." She went to the counter and banged it with her fist until a greasy fat man poked his unshaven head around the kitchen's corner. "We need a month's worth of food and a pair of engine crystals if we have 'em!"

Obviously pleased by the large order, the man smiled, exposing a large number of missing teeth, and vanished back into the kitchen. The waitress turned back. "He'll get right on it."

"Thanks," Aerrow said. He waited for her to leave, but she remained by the counter, tapping her index finger thoughtfully as she studied them.

_Oh no…_

"Don't I know you?" She asked. "You look awfully familiar."

Aerrow blinked innocently. "You're mistaken. We've never been here before."

"Ah, strangers in these parts?"

"Yes," Aerrow responded. "We're from Terra Lyn. My name is Harlod, and this is…" He glanced at Finn. "… my wife, and the wallop is… our son-_adopted _son." All three smiled.

The waitress pointed. "What happened to your arms?"

Aerrow frowned. He hadn't come up with a cover story for that.

"Well, see, he forgot to feed to goldfish and-" Finn started in a high, squeaky voice.

"Hmm." The waitress left to attend someone else.

"That was close," Junko murmured.

"Just keep your cool," Aerrow whispered back. "We're just three strangers getting food."

"Rawr," came from under Finn's skirt.

Aerrow smiled through his folded fingers. "And a hidden Radarr."

"Uh oh…" Finn held his hand to his left eye. "This makeup is really irritating my eye. It's tearing like crazy."

There were no napkins at the table. Aerrow twisted around and spotted a pile on the counter. "There's some."

Finn got up in a rustle of fabric and shuffled in his high-heels toward it. Radarr, feeling his host stand, climbed up higher on Finn's leg. As he did, his head and long ears bunched the skirt up in his attempt to keep his tail concealed… in a bad place, making Finn the woman's tush look three times the original size. As Finn waddled by, a man in a frock jacket watched his enormous bulbous butt bob, turned, and gave Aerrow a thumbs up and a toothy grin.

Aerrow had the sudden urge to crawl under his chair and die.

Finn took a wad of napkins and pressed them to his eye. A mirror was set on the counter and, felling very girlish, he peered into it and whipped the smears away. He'd seen girls fix their makeup before, even Piper, and surprised himself by tidying it up with two strokes of his thumb. He absent-mindedly wiped his fingers on his skirt and turned to walk back to his friends.

"Whoo-whee! What a woman!"

Finn froze. _Uh oh…_

Five men, gathered around a table in the corner, were staring at Finn, twisting around in their seats with big grins plastered on their faces. Finn blinked at them, not entirely sure what to do, and then decided to raise his hand and wiggle his fingers. "Hi, boys."

One of them whapped his hat on his knee. "I've been all over Atmos, but I've never seen a girl as fine as you."

Finn hesitated, giggled as girly as he could, and then shot a desperate glance at his friends. Aerrow had his back to him and Junko was picking something out from under his fingernail. _Help me…_

A band was setting up on the opposite side of the door. A sky fisher gang with a bit of talent, they liked to come every other day and earn money by playing the only two songs they knew. They finished tuning their crude instruments and began to play a lively tune, filling the silent shanty with music.

"How 'bout a dance, little lady?" The biggest man called.

"Uh…" Finn cast one more pleading glance at his friends. _What to do? What to do?_ He lifted his skirt and curtsied, nearly losing his balance. "No thanks…"

Under his skirt, Radarr inched up to keep his tail concealed. As he did, a piece of Finn's pantyhose ripped and Radarr's front paw slipped, running down the ticklish underside of his knee.

"I'm not the best dancer-" His back suddenly arched and Finn leaped a full three feet into the air. "Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!"

Radarr panicked and scrambled to get a good grip on his host's leg, sending ice cold waves of shivers up Finn's spine. The sky monkey could only keep up his ticklish attempt to hide as Finn spasmed around the counter.

People began to turn and watch. Aerrow and Junko followed the crowd's heads and their mouths went slack as their friend, seemingly on his own accord, bounded and flailed about to the music. The band, thrilled to have a dancer, played faster and faster and Radarr scrambled quicker and quicker and Finn thrashed about in a furious flurry of limbs. Coins began to fly and the entire shanty urged him on, shouting, whistling, and clapping.

Radarr finally lost his grip and shot out from under Finn's skirt, sliding across the floor and disappearing under a table. The music came to a big finish and Finn stood panting, hair array and his high heels gone. Money clattered all around him and the cheers were deafening, calling for an encore.

Aerrow and Junko squeezed through the gathered crowds, shouldering drooling men aside in order to reach their friend.

"Finn!" Aerrow hissed under his breath, coins rattling against their feet. "What was all that?"

Radarr slinked through the maze of legs and crawled back under Finn's skirt. "Rawr."

"And that…" Finn panted. "… was all without… a single dance lesson."

Aerrow felt the heat of many eyes on them. They had to go, now. All they needed was for some eagle-eye to recognize them, and it was all over. Junko took Finn's arm and lead the way toward the door, clearing a path with his bulk. Aerrow followed.

"Hey, where you go'n?"

"Give us another dance!"

"Will you marry me?"

"Hey, don't spoil the show! Bring her back!"

Amid the complaints, someone's elbow hit Aerrow's sombrero, knocking clean off his head. Junko noticed. The wallop scooped it up and plopped it back on his friend's head in one movement, but Aerrow's hair had already fallen back into it's unique style.

_Please don't notice, please don't notice, please don't notice, please don't notice, _Aerrow pleaded inside his head as they continued for the door.

"Ay, don't I know you?" A man with one eye stepped into their path.

Junko growled threateningly. "Outa my way."

A woman with a tooth necklace snatched the sombrero off his head. "Yeah, I've seen you before."

"I've never been here," Aerrow claimed, struggling to keep his cool. "We're from Terra Lyn."

"There was a red head kid and a wallop with some others here not long ago."

"Yeah, I was there."

"They were a squadron. What were they… the Sky Hawks? Something hawks…"

Aerrow, Junko and Finn stood close to each other, trapped in the center of accusing stares.

_Jingle jingle jingle jingle jingle jingle jingle jingle jingle…_

A cloaked figure stood at the doorway, raising a long, heavy staff in the air and shaking it. Four bells hung from the staff's head by a red and black striped cloth, set into the wood by gruesome skull. No face was visible in the shadows cast by the black cloak's hood, and a dark glove covered the stranger's hand as he continued shaking the eerie staff.

All eyes that were fixed on Aerrow, Junko, and Finn now turned to the doorway. A man grunted, "Who're you?"

The stranger stilled his staff, set its butt on the floor, and leaned on it heavily as he walked inside. He was bent, whether from age, injury or habit, and he did not look at the speaker. Two horns sprouted from the hood like those of a demon. Aerrow felt chills rise in his chest; whoever it was, it was coming straight toward him.

The man who spoke before reached out to tap the stranger, angry at being ignored. "Ay, I'm talking to-"

He could only utter a gasp as the staff crashed into the side of his head, knocking him to the ground. The cloaked stranger stood upright to his full height, reaching Junko's stature, placed one foot on the unconscious man and, throwing back his head to reveal huge fangs, he howled, "I am the Master of the Shadows!! The sound of my staff brings doom and destruction to those who hear it! I feel your hearts beat and it is mine to silent! Terras will fall! The sky will burn! The earth will tremble! Doom to you all! Doom! Dooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooom!"

It was an every-man-for-himself stampede for the door. The waitress and chef locked themselves into the back room. People leaped out windows and the sound of skimmers and carriers starting and taking off shook the shanty. And then, as quickly as the noise began, it ended. The terra was abandoned.

"Doooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooom!" The stranger threw back his head for one last chilling howl. His hood fell back and Stork grinned, his lips bulging from the fake fangs shoved into his mouth. "Haha. Suckers."

It took a moment for Aerrow to recover. "What? Stork?"

"Oh, dude!" Finn felt the fake horns protruding from the hood. "Your getup is awesome!"

"Oh, I had it for years…" Stork's eye twitched. "Just in case."

"Thanks, Stork," Aerrow said gratefully. He would have put a hand on the merb's shoulder if he could. "You really saved us."

"It was Piper's idea. She's been pacing the bridge since you left and she finally ordered me to go after you." Stork lifted his hood back onto his head and let it fall down to his nose. "She can be scarier than me."

"I bet," Finn shivered.

Junko, meanwhile, leaned over the counter. "Hey! Looks like we got our order!"

"Good. Get it and let's get out of here," Aerrow said. "It'll only be a matter of time before everyone comes back with armed."

Stork shook his staff, jingling the bells. "I'll turn them into toads."

And, Storm Hawks style, that's how to get supplies.

* * *

Aerrow could feel the day's events sap at his stamina as the waiting Condor came into view. Radarr, still little dazed from being under Finn's skirt, occasionally caused the skimmer to wobble and buck, but Aerrow trusted his copilot's skills even more than his own. The sun was settling in a brilliant display of fiery color in the horizon and Aerrow's eyelids were getting harder and harder to keep up. A good sleep was the best medicine.

The skimmers parked in the hanger bay, the five Storm Hawks walked onto the bridge, still in disguise. As the door shut behind them, Aerrow stopped in his tracks, his weariness completely forgotten. "Piper…"

Piper was transformed. Her spiky hair, tied back with an orange headband, was now down to her shoulders in delicate curls. The orange headband remained, but her face appeared more feminine than ever. The shirt she wore had straps only about two fingers thick, connected to the bodice by metal rings. Two orange strips ran from the low collar down the deep purple shirt, going under the dark band beneath her chest. A skirt twirled around her legs like an opening flower, reaching down to her ankles. Piper was beautiful.

Piper turned from gazing intently out the window. Her eyes were wide and her hands were shaking.

Aerrow, getting over his speechlessness, went to her side. "What? What is it? We're alright, and we got enough food and some engine crystals-"

Piper brushed a curl from her cheek with a trembling hand. "I saw it… Just a moment ago."

Not quite grasping her point, Aerrow raised an eyebrow. "What?"

Piper turned back to the window, pressing her forehead to the glass. "Terra Odranoel."

* * *

Again, go to my Deviantart account to see the cover of my comic and my sister's drawing of the Storm Hawks in their disguises. You won't regret it!

Don't forget to review! Anyone can do it!


	45. A little more trouble

A little more trouble

again, sorry for the wait. my computer got a virus and i had a dozen other things to do. i was going to make this chapter longer, but i decided to stop until the next chapter. enjoy!

Did you all watch the new episodes on youtube? They're awsome! :D

* * *

"It was right there," Piper said, pointing out the window.

Aerrow tore his eyes from her face, framed by dark curls, to follow her finger. Clouds… and more clouds. A blanket of them lay red and purple from the setting sun as far as the eye could see, hiding the gloomy wastelands far below from sight.

Piper pressed herself to the glass, trying desperately to catch another glimpse of the legendary terra. "I was watching for your return when all of a sudden this light nearly blinded me and I saw this bright, white shine moving below us heading south. It only lasted a second, but it was big, like a terra, and it was made of glass if not something a lot like it. Rainbows were everywhere, like when you hold a glass prism up to light. I didn't get a chance to get a good look at it, but I know it must have been a terra, and it _moved." _She pointed. "From there to there in the second it was visible. And then it vanished."

They all stood alongside her, searching the surrounding area for something, anything out of the ordinary. Nothing.

Aerrow looked at Piper. Her forehead was ceased in disappointment as she pressed it to the window, staring out to where her mysterious sighting once was. "I believe you, Piper," he said reassuringly.

"It was right there…" She whispered, unsure if she was telling herself or her teammate. Piper turned from the window and, scooping up a rolled up map from the Condor's wheel, she smoothed it out on the table. "We're here, a league west of Sky Side Shanty. I saw Odranoel below us, going south…" She fell silent, bending over the map and inching her finger along the landmarks upon the map. Aerrow could almost see the calculations going through her head.

Finn turned away with a sigh, pulling his wig off and unclipping the hoop earrings from his ears. Scrubbing his lips with his frilly sleeve, he began to invade the sacks of food they brought from Sky Side Shanty. "I'm not going anywhere on an empty stomach," he grumbled, pulling one open.

Aerrow's stomach growled. With an unhappy frown, he realized that the last bite of food he had was the spoonful of cold soup Junko had given him, which unintentionally did more harm than good. As Finn lifted out cartons of food onto the table opposite from Piper, with Junko drooling over his shoulder, he noticed Aerrow's hungry stare. The sharpshooter gestured with a cloudberry. "Want me to feed you?"

The sky knight nodded.

"I have it!" Piper crowed triumphantly, circling a spot on the map. "If my calculations are correct-"

"And they always are!"

Piper shot Finn a look. "If my calculations are correct, then we need to head twenty-five degrees southwest at sixty knots for at least the next six hours."

Stork, casting off his heavy cloak and eerie staff, took up the Condor's wheel. "Isn't that a little slow?"

"The wind currents here are-" She slapped her brow. "Oh no! I completely forgot!"

Finn paused with a forkful of cloudberries halfway to Aerrow's mouth, much to the sky knight's dismay. "What? Forgot to correct the rounding error with the decimal place?"

"No," Piper said in dismay, rolling up the map. "I was watching for your return for a reason. The crystal array's lever snapped when I was replacing two of the old crystals with the new ones."

Storks hands fell from the wheel. "Without the crystals, we're going nowhere."

"Well, we can patch it again," Junko said, glancing from one face to the other. "Right?"

"It's been patched," Stork growled. "Twelve times."

Piper had set the broken lever on the seat off to the side on the bridge. She held it up, rusted with metal patches curling out like a sculptor's joke. "No kidding. It needs to be replaced."

"You want us to go back?" Finn stabbed another berry through with the fork. "We might as well charge into Atmosia with the wanted posters stapled to our foreheads."

"It'll just be a quick visit," Piper said, setting the lever back down. "Everyone's probably still gone."

Aerrow, feeling a bit better with something in his stomach, stood up. "Piper, how fast was your mystery terra moving?"

"Thirty miles per hour at least, if not more."

"Could you track it?" Aerrow asked.

Piper turned to the map and stroked her chin thoughtfully. After a moment of studying, she nodded. "Yeah."

"Junko, Finn," Aerrow ordered. "You two go back to Sky Side Shanty and see if you can find anything that would work as a lever, if not the real thing. We may need to improvise. Piper, go ahead and replace two more of the crystals. I'll…" Aerrow shifted uncomfortably. "Figure out something I can do."

Finn relieved himself of the two grapefruits crushing his chest. "Alright, but I'll go as Finn the sharpshooting Storm Hawk, not Esmeralda the dancer with a monkey up her skirt."

Junko twirled his goatee proudly. "I'll keep my disguise a little longer. It's cool."

Piper dug up the two new engine crystals. "C'mon, Radarr."

"Rawr." Radarr followed her to the engine room.

As the others dispersed, Aerrow was left on the bridge with Stork. Felling useless, Aerrow surveyed the bridge. Noticing the pilot's stare, he turned and met his gaze questioningly.

The merb's eye twitched. "Wanna look at some bog spore bacterium?"

* * *

"I still don't see why we couldn't have taken my skimmer," Finn growled, holding Junko's shoulders as the wallop went from cloud to cloud for cover.

"Your engine's still blown and, besides, it's stealthier to take just one." Junko grinned over his shoulder. "My skimmer's nimbus 7 jet engines are renown for their quietness when flying."

Finn looked down. "My Air Skimmer III has the same nimbus 7 series engines as yours. And nothing says stealth like a giant Air Skimmer III EL, equipped with eight missiles, blasters, eight wallopian bombs and two passengers, sneaking around at night.

"I know, right?"

Sky Side Shanty slowly became prominent from the darkened clouds like a cutout of black paper on canvas. Night had settled over Atmos only ten minutes before and the last of the sun's rays disappeared under the western horizon. Junko strained his eyes pass his combed down hair at the shaded shanty. "No lights are on. I can't see any vehicles or airships either."

Finn peered over his friend's bulk. "It's probably still abandoned."

The lot was empty as they came in to land. Junko folded in the wings and drove to a stop, quickly shutting off the engine and steadying the rattling metal. Finn dismounted and dropped down, eyes darting about. The lot was indeed abandoned and a light mist was settling in. The door, visibly barred and locked for the night, offered no way in.

Finn crept up to a window and peered in, cupping his hands around his eyes to study the shanty's interior. "I don't see anyone. It's too dark. Should we break a window or knock the door down, Junko?"

No answer.

Finn looked over his shoulder. "Junko?"

A tap on the glass turned his attention back to the window. His heart skipped a beat at Junko's grinning face, peering back at him from inside. Finn stumbled back a step, and then regained his posture. "Junko! How'd you get inside?"

The wallop's dark outline pointed up. Finn followed his gesture and spotted the chimney. "Junko, you're a genius."

Junko greeted his friend with a smile as Finn fell into the open fireplace in a cloud of white ashes. Finn stood, coated head to toe in soot. He sneezed. "Now that I think about it, I would rather have broken a window."

The shanty was silent as a grave, strangely empty compared to the occurrence only hours ago. A swivel chair at the counter creaked softly as the odd gust of wind swept inside from a crack in the ceiling. Finn, shaking soot from his hair, leaned over the counter to study its contents. Heartened, he reached down and brought up a candy bar. "A Fred n' George chew! I haven't had one of these babies in years!"

"Finn," Junko whispered. "We have to find a replacement for the crystal array."

"Yeah, yeah," Finn said absent-mindedly, peeling the wrapper from the candy. "There's probably a bunch in the backroom."

Junko crept behind the counter and pushed open the swinging door, peeking inside. It was as dark as a well. Junko let it shut. "Hey, Finn. See if you can find a flashlight or somethin'."

Mouth full of candy, Finn gave him a sticky thumbs up. "Right."

Junko eased the door open again. Something was making his nerves uneasy. It was like a needle pricking the small of his back, keeping his spine rigid and his shoulders tense. _Is this how Stork feels all the time? _The wallop gazed blindly into the backroom, every sense alert.

_Smash!_

Junko quickly shut the door as the shanty erupted in the clattering and crashing of fallen dishes. He flinched as pieces continued to shatter for nearly two minutes, and then turned to the culprit with annoyance. "Finn!"

Finn sat up from the floor amid the shattered remains of dirty dishes, the remains of his candy bar crushed under his chest. "Oh… my bad."

Junko covered the distance between them in two strides and lifted the sharpshooter up from the ground by his arm. "Come on! Where will the others be if-"

The door flew open and the Rex Guardian burst into the shanty, backed by another teammate and ten other men. They pointed their weapons, from blazing swords to rusty pipes, at Finn, who was standing in a trashed kitchen with an angry wallop holding his arm.

"Good job, wallop," the Rex Guardian said, clearly impressed by the scene. The other men, some of whom Junko recognized from their recent visit to the shanty, relaxed a bit upon seeing the wanted criminal in restraint. "This is your lucky day."

"Wha-" Junko felt his chin and remembered his disguise. Finn, on the other hand, had returned to his Storm Hawk uniform before they left the Condor. _They don't recognize me._

The back door opened and five more men came in, led by another Rex Guardian. They took in the situation, and turned to each other in triumph. Junko frowned, keeping his hold on Finn's arm. _What should I do?_

The Rex Guardian took handcuffs from his pack and pulled the sharpshooter from Junko's grip. Before the wallop could react, his teammate tossed him a large bag of heavy coins. "Here's your reward. Nice bounty hunting. Have you been staked out here all night? Funny we never saw you."

Junko's mind raced for a plan as the Rex Guardian shackled Finn and forced him to his knees. "Actually, I was going to take him to Atmosia myself." He started toward his frightened friend. "So if you don't mind-"

"Don't trouble yourself," the Rex Guardian said, twisting Finn's cuffed hands. The sharpshooter squealed before a cloth was tied around his mouth. "We'll take care of it."

His teammate stood over the captured Storm Hawk. "Breaking laws, holding illegal possessions, and now stealing candy. You're going to be locked up for a good while, young man."

Two Rex Guardians, both armed, and fifteen men, all big brutes, stood between Junko and his friend. The wallop clenched his fists and his muscles tensed. It was either fight or let them take Finn. He turned every possibility over and over in his head, and then allowed himself to loosen up. Aerrow and Piper would have a solution much better than his brute strength.

"We'll take him to Terra Rex until Atmosia decides what to do with him," the Rex Guardian said, taking Finn by the back of his shirt. The sharpshooter uttered a muffled moan.

The two Guardians and their men began for the door and their vehicles. Cuffed and gagged, Finn could only blink helplessly before the door closed behind them.

Alone in the shanty, Junko raised a shaky hand and brushed his hair from his eyes. Things just got more complicated than he could possibly imagine.

* * *

An uncomfortable silence filled the bridge after Junko finished explaining the situation, doing it as quickly as possible. He was back in uniform, all facial hair was gone, and his hair was back in its usual style. The wallop studied his hands nervously as he waited for his teammates to say something.

It was Piper who broke the silence by dropping her fist on the tabletop. "Well, Finn has to be rescued."

"Are you sure?" Stork said, less than enthusiastic. "It's not that I don't value Finn's freedom, but the fate of Atmos does hang with us finding Odranoel before the Cyclonians."

"But we can't leave Finn in the hands of the Rex Guardians," Aerrow said. During Junko's absence, the sky knight had finally tired of his sling. Instead, Piper took the two more metal pipes and bandaged them to the underside of his arms along with the first two, leaving his arms bent at the elbow and free to swing at his sides. "Knowing Harrier, he'll probably 'do the honorable thing' and cut off his head or something."

"Maybe not that," Piper managed a small smile. "But the point is that Finn needs to be rescued. The only solution is to split up."

It was risky and doubling their chances of being caught, but Aerrow had to accept that it was probably the only thing they could do. "I'll take Junko to Terra Rex and, with any luck, see if we get Finn free. How much time can you give us?"

Piper frowned. "I can only track Odranoel until it reaches the end of the quadrant. Then, it's more than likely that we'll never find it again. Two hours is the most I can give you."

"If we're not back in an hour and a half, take off without us," Aerrow said. Seeing discontent spread across Piper's face, he added, "and we'll stay connected by radio. If anything happens to us, you'll know."

"Okay…" She said hesitantly. "How will you get to Finn without being caught? Do you even know where to find him?"

"I believe I know where their prison is. As for getting in, we'll have to resort to disguises again." Aerrow turned to Junko. "Are you game?"

Junko saluted. "I got Finn in this mess and I'll get him out."

"Rawr!"

"Sorry, Radarr," Aerrow apologized to his copilot. "But you'll stick out too much on Terra Rex. Keep Piper and Stork safe. We'll catch up with you if " He turned and headed for the hanger bay. Pausing only to press the transportable radio into his ear, Junko followed.

Piper chewed on her fingernail as they left. Radarr glowered.

* * *

"I'm telling the truth!" Fin shouted after his captors as they left, shutting the door after themselves. The force of his voice bounced back and forth in the small cell, stinging his ears as he slumped miserably against the farthest wall from the door to brood over his misfortune. The chains, connecting the shackles gripping his wrists to the stone wall, lay in two coiled heaps on either side of him and rattled like a hundred snakes with his every move. His cell was like any other cell; cold, dark, and small. No windows allowed fresh air in to break the atmosphere.

Harrier didn't believe his story. Any attempt to explain the situation stopped at the Rex Guardian's thick skull and he had laughed at the ridiculousness of a Soul Crystal. Finn simmered with anger. _I'd like to see him laugh when Cyclonis fries him to a crisp once she gets her hands on it. _He hated it. He hated the entire past few weeks. He felt the burning resentment to Stork for starting the whole issue with his stupid visions and fairies. Flyberries, that was it. Stork had stayed behind at Amazonia to gather flyberries in slimy ditch to while the others, including himself, went ahead. If Stork didn't have such a revolting urge to eat bacteria-ridden swamp vegetation, then they wouldn't be wanted criminals in the very world they strove to protect. If Stork was so paranoid about diseases, then how could he consume something that not even Junko could hold down?

As Finn sat there chained, hungry and cold, he couldn't help but feel a wave of despair weigh down on his shoulders. A lump formed in his chest. The Storm Hawks shouldn't come for him. He wasn't worth risking the fate of Atmos for. Cyclonis would succeed in obtaining the Soul Crystal and, as nice as it would be to see Harrier's shock, Atmos as they knew it would come to a grim and corrupt end.

"Food," came a flat and unexpressive voice from outside the cell. The flap at the very bottom of the thick door swung open and a metal tray was pushed in by an unseen force, propelling itself to Finn's splayed feet. The sharpshooter wasn't hungry, in fact the thought of food was repulsive, but a hard life taught him to do whatever it took to keep up his strength. He leaned forward and, stretching until the shackles on his wrists became tight, hooked the tray with his index finger and slid it closer.

A dry, crumpled chunk of bread heaped in the corner of the rusty tray. Finn prodded it, had to conclude that it was inedible, and decided the same for the slice of cheese sticking to the dish like yellow paste. Dejected, the sharpshooter tipped the big wooden goblet to peer inside. A dark liquid sloshed at his fingers. Curious, he picked the goblet up and sent the tray sliding with a push of his foot.

He sniffed it. The drink smelled rich and fruity. Finn took a sip and immediately grimaced at the strong taste overwhelming his mouth. After a moment, it passed, and he smacked his lips. Not bad. Finn drank some more. It was like fruit juice, only much, much richer in taste and, as the sharpshooter quaffed a large mouthful, sent tingles down his spine that he'd never experienced before.

Finn blinked, running his sleeve over his mouth as the dark cell began to blur. The strong smell filled his senses and the sharpshooter leaned back against the wall, holding the goblet with two hands contently.

Now… what was he so worried about again?

* * *

Oh boy...

At least they finally have a head, but Finn had to go and get himself in a big mess. You can't blame Junko, he's just a big sweetie. REVIEW!!!


	46. The Race Begins

The Race Begins

PLEASE READ THIS!!!

I have started the comic on deviantart! Since this stupid document won't let me post a link, go to Deviantart and type in Hospitality or Hostility Cover. The cover to my comic should be the first one you see. I have the links on each page, so you don't have to go looking for the pages everywhere. Enjoy! :)

* * *

Morning came late as a soft blanket of candlelight over the lower regions of Terra Rex, stationed at the edge of the northern cliff. The Terra Rex Prison Stockade was tucked into the side of a rocky hill behind an abandoned post office and a slow business bar, far from the huge stadium and flashing cameras of the media. The brick road was in need of repair and half the trees were dead along the side of the street, creaking gently in the soft breeze bringing in a quilt of mist.

Russ yawned and stretched, holding his energy spear in the crook of his elbow. His brass breastplate was a bit rusty, like a dish rag to a tapestry compared to that of the Rex Guardians, and he still had stubble upon his cheeks. He had slept in and didn't get time to shave, but the helmet covered most of his face. Not that there was any point in hurrying to work. Day after day after day Russ guarded the entrance to the Terra Rex Prison Stockade, aka, the miserable hole that held two drunkards and some criminal his superiors caught not long ago. It was his job. Russ rubbed his eye. His replacement was hours away and it looked to be another long, boring day of guarding good-for-nothings who nobody wanted. Hopefully the captain wouldn't drop by.

_**"Ith a shmaaall world aaaaaafter aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaall…"**_

Russ blinked and straightened.

_**"Ith a shmmmmmmmmmmaaaaaaalllllll world aaaaafter all…"**_

It was coming from within the prison cells.

**_"Ith a shmmmmmmmmaaaaall wooooooooorld aaaaaaafter allllllll…"_**

Russ banged the butt of his spear against the closed entrance. "Quiet in there!"

Silence. And then…

_**"Ah've gutt a luvery bunth of cooooconuts,**_

_**Tha they ah a'stund'n in a rooooow…"**_

"Quiet!" Russ gave the door another bang.

"What's going on?" Pepper, Russ's companion, emerged from the mist with a grin.

"You're late," Russ snapped, leaning on his spear.

"Big oooones, shmall ones, shome az- sh- big az- sh- yer heeeeeeeeead…"

Pepper raised an eyebrow.

"Don't worry," Russ said. "He'll either fall asleep or grow bored of it."

Silence. And then…

_**"A! B! C! D! G! M! E!"**_

"I said quiet!" Russ turned and shouted through the bars.

"Go in there and…" A rustle from the tree above them caused Pepper to look up. "What the-?"

Two enormous hands shot down from the branches and snatched the two guards up like pieces of candy. A few leaves floated down.

Silence. And then…

**_"Ith a shmall wooooooorld aaaaaafter aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaalllllllll…"_**

* * *

_Creeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaaak._

The dark prison stayed gloomy as the heavy door swung open. The guard kept it open with his shoulder and peered in for a moment while his eyes adjusted through the helmet. He gestured stiffly with an arm unusually big for his body. "Junko! We need a torch!"

"I'm on it!" There was a sputter and a glow seeped into the dark stones forming the prison. Aerrow stepped further into the black hall to allow his wallop companion to join him.

Junko held the torch up. "I sure hope there aren't any cameras in here. Terra Rex is pretty old fashioned, but still…" The uniform, well fitted for a human man, was many sizes too small for the wallop. The helmet rode too high on his head and his ears stuck out awkwardly from under the brim.

"Hopefully these uniforms will help if there are," Aerrow said, taking the lead. Junko kept the torch high and followed.

There were maybe two dozen cells within the gloom. The rusted iron bars gleamed eerily in the torchlight and the occasional pair of eyes peered out at them. Aerrow cleared his throat as he swept aside a ragged curtain to peer inside a small cell, the rough material raspy against his cast. "Finn?"

"Finn? Are you in here?" Junko whispered, unnerved by the dreary atmosphere.

Aerrow stopped. "Do you hear that?"

They listened. Junko's ears twitched. "Hear what?"

_**"Rooow roooow rooooooow yer boat,**_

_**Grently down- sh- shtream.**_

_**Merry merrily merry merrily,**_

_**Life ish but ah**_… _glugglugglug…"_

Aerrow gestured with his head. "This way."

The solid iron door shrieked as Junko lifted the heavy bar and pushed it open. The cell was like looking into an empty well at midnight. Aerrow ventured inside. "Finn?"

_"Hiccup!"_

Junko joined the sky knight and held out the torch. Light splashed the cell in a fiery wave of orange, chasing out the gloom like an unwanted pest.

Finn lolled in a corner like a greasy banana peel.

"Finn!" They were kneeling beside their friend in an instant.

The sharpshooter blinked his bleary eyes and hiccupped a second time. The chains running from his shackles to the wall above him rattled like a nest of rattle snakes. Junko brushed his friend's filthy hair from his face and pushed his eyelid up. "It's alright, little buddy. We're here."

"_Hiccup!" _A goofy grin split Finn's face and he raised a cup, or rather a globlet, from where he had it cradled by his side. Dark liquid sloshed about as he unsteadily held it up. "Gud shtuff, thish shtuff. Make my inshides- sh- feel aaaaaaaall warm inshide. Gud shtuff…" He tipped it back to drink but missed by a mile, spilling the strong smelling drink down his shirt. He giggled.

Junko gently took the cup from the sharpshooter's shaking hands. Finn didn't appear to notice.

Junko sniffed the drink and took a timid dab with his tongue at the goblet's rim. He wrinkled his nose. "Wine. Powerful stuff too."

"Piper once told me it's a Terra Rex tradition to give criminals a drink before they face trial," Aerrow recalled. He looked down at Finn gurgling at his feet. "And some can't handle it, which makes it all the easier to win the case."

_Snap! _Junko broke a chain from the wall with a single wrench. "That's a nasty trick." _Snap! _Down went the second. Finn's head lolled to the side, somewhere off in the cloudy daisy lala land.

"Guards! Why is this door open?"

Aerrow and Junko froze and looked at each other. Aerrow swallowed and spoke in a deep voice, "checking on the prisoners, sir. Everything's fine. They're all asleep." Aerrow's heart hammered as Finn's lips moved silently, slurping up a string of drool. _Please don't say anything…_

"Alright then. Hurry up and get this door locked. You're here to keep these prisoners under control and quiet, not sing to sleep."

"Yes, sir," Junko and Aerrow said solemnly. Finn stirred and mumbled something. _Stay quiet…_

_**"ON TOP OF SPAGGETTI!**_

_**ALL COVERED IN CHEESE!**_

_**I LOST MY POOR MEATBALL!**_

_**WHEN SOMEBODY SNEEEEEEEEEEZED!"**_

"What was that?!" The voice rocketed throughout the cells and sharp footsteps began to approach. "What are you doing?"

"Charge!" Aerrow yelled. Junko scooped up Finn and together they burst from the room. The whites of the captain's eyes stood out like stars in the night sky and he only had time to press the alarm button on his wrist before a boy and a wallop bowled him clean over. As they sprinted out the door, the captain struggled to his feet and yelled at the top of his lungs into his wrist, "Escapees from the Prison Stockade! Wallop and red-headed boy! Wearing guard uniforms!" The captain managed to stumble out the door just as the runners disappeared around a corner.

A leaf drifted down. Red-faced and missing his stylish helmet, the angry captain looked up. Two nearly naked guards hung by their underwear from the top most branches. One attempted a little wave. "Hey."

* * *

An alarm raced through Terra Rex like wildfire. Aerrow and Junko, with Finn in tow, plunged into the trees and brush of a wilderness preserve, searching for Junko's parked vehicle. Without light, it was like the infamous game of finding the needle in the haystack.

Junko's footsteps up ahead of the sky knight were crunches on the leaf screwn scattered ground. _Crunch crunch crunch crunch crunch crunch BANG!_

Biting his lip to keep in his screech of pain, Junko dropped Finn and held his throbbing foot. "I… think… I found it…" His skimmer was knocked flat.

Searchlights snapped on in the distance. Aerrow noticed and urged the wallop on. "we'd better hurry. How much time do we have before the others leave without us?"

Junko released his foot and squinted at the dials on his vehicle's control. "Our hour and a half is almost up. We might just make it." The wallop picked Finn up from the ground.

The sharpshooter's eyes were unfocused and he gave his friend a lopsided smile. "How meny gallonsh of hair dosh- sh- it take to bake a piper?"

* * *

Back on the Condor, Stork had circled the surrounding area so many times with the periscope that he was dizzy. The merb allowed the device to fold up and nearly lost his balance. The room was spinning. "I don't see them anywhere. If they aren't here in five minutes, Aerrow said to-"

"I know what he said!" Piper stopped pacing for the first time in an hour and grasped her hair. "But we can't just _leave _them! That's the worse possible thing to do!"

"Rawr!" Radarr hopped onto her shoulder.

Stork, finding no better thing to do, pulled down the periscope again. "But you agreed to it."

Piper resumed her frantic pacing. "Yes, but I didn't actually think they would take so long. It's just getting Finn, right?"

"Not exactly," Stork muttered, scanning the horizon for the billionth time.

Piper continued, "Terra Rex is a source of everything old fashioned. There shouldn't be anything there that Junko and Aerrow could get past easy. Unless…" Piper stopped, her brow furrowed in worry. "Aerrow's disability…"

"Aerrow's fine," Stork reassured. He pulled away from the periscope. "You wanna switch?"

Piper took the periscope and Stork began pacing.

The clouds looked like a sea of cream. "We'll give them a little more time. They _have _to be on their way by now."

"Piper."

The navigator looked at Stork. The merb's arms were crossed and his eyes were dark under his set eyebrows. A finger tapped his elbow.

"I know… I know…" Piper sighed, turned back to the sky. "The longer we wait, the further Terra Odranoel gets."

"The hour and a half is up."

In a last attempt to stall, Piper carried the periscope in a complete circle of the landscape. Nothing. She tightened her grip on the handlebars, and then released it in defeat. "Alright. Let's go."

Stork shifted the Condor's wheel and the airship broke out of hover. Radarr's ears and tail drooped. Pipe noticed. "Aw, it's okay, Radarr. They'll catch up to us." She knelt down and patted his head.

_I hope._

* * *

"MOOOOOOOOOOONKEEEEEEEEYSSS!!!" Finn screamed, twisting around in his seat between Aerrow and Junko to point at the squadron of Rex Guardians chasing them. If Harrier heard the drunken sharpshooter, it was too far away to see his expression. Junko had the engines opened all the way and the overburdened vehicle zipped through the sky at full speed. The ancient skimmers of the Rex Guardians were no match even with the extra weight and the three Storm Hawks' pursuers soon fell behind.

Aerrow was up in front, crushed between the skimmer's controls and Finn as he bounced up and down like a child. Junko had to reach pass both of them to steer and he flinched every time Finn's head cracked him in the jaw. The sharpshooter was giggling and squirming and suffering from random bouts of spasms as the wine's contents took full control. His words were so slurred that they were incomprehensible.

"So this is how I'm going to die," Aerrow mumbled miserably, his cheek squished against the spinning dials. Finn took the sky knight's ears and flapped them like butterfly wings.

"Almost there, Aerrow," Junko said. "Almost… uh oh."

"What?" Aerrow managed to lift his head and peered over the skimmer's conrols. It was a cloudy, but otherwise empty sky. Uh oh… empty. Where was the Condor?"

"We must have just missed them," Junko said in dismay.

Finn suddenly went limp, spilling across Junko's lap. "Moooooooooooooooooo."

"Just keep us in a southwest direction and we should find them. They can't be too far ahead of us."

Junko slowed the vehicle's pace to a fast, and yet favorable, pace. "What do we do if we're spotted by someone?"

"Hope they mistake us for a bird." It was the lamest plan Aerrow had ever come up with, but there was nothing more he could say.

They disappeared into the clouds.

Silence. And then…

_**"HOOOOOME HOOOOOOOME IN THE SKYYYYYYYY!**_

_**WHEEERE THE SLOOOOOOOOTHS AND THE SKY SHARKS DO PLAAAAAAAAAYYYYY…"**_

"Finn!"

* * *

"Stork..."

The merb turned from his driving.

Piper's voice was barely a whisper. "Cyclonians."

* * *

Oooooooooh... cliff hanger. Wow, doing drunk people, especially Finn, is fun! Don't forget to check out my comic and review!


	47. Pinned

Chapter 48

The comic on Deviantart is doing great. Don't forget to check it out!! And here is chapter 48. Finally.

* * *

"Cyclonians?" Stork cringed. "Eep!" The Condor shuddered.

Piper swiveled the periscope in a half circle. "There's only one airship. I don't see any others."

"Just one is all it needs for this situation to get nasty!" Stork hissed. The merb guided the Condor into a cloud and pulled the airship into a silent hover. "Have they spotted us?"

"I- I don't know," Piper said, gazing intently at the enemy ship in the distance. "It's just sitting there, half-covered in cloud."

"Probably waiting for orders from Cyclonis herself to obliterate us," Stork said. "Or perhaps they're making no move because we've just entered a gorillaoctopus's territory and they're waiting for the monster to come and drag us down to its cave in the lava sea of the wastelands."

"Gorrillaoctapuses went extinct two thousand years ago, Stork," Piper muttered, but a wash of relief swept over her. It was good to hear her friend being his old paranoid self again. How long has it been since his pessimistic views on life were made known? Piper couldn't recall. It had been a long while since Stork had been seized in a bout of fainting spells, of which he claimed he saw visions given to him by a supposed fairy or spirit. Could this winged lady be someone of the same source as the oracle Aerrow had once met face to face? Her glimpse of Terra Odranoel flashed through her brain. What connection did Stork's fairy and the long lost terra have? Did she have something to do with the mysterious Soul Crystal, or was she trying to warn them of a danger? A danger perhaps, of the same consequence as their encounter with the dreaded Wrath Crystal? Piper's heart sped up at the thought of withstanding another enemy such as Menaphis; the horrible monster who overthrew Cyclonis herself and came dangerously close to destroying Atmos as they knew it. Finn had almost died. They all could have. As all these thoughts drifted through Piper's mind, so did the cloud concealing the Cyclonian airship.

"Ravess," the name came out as a hiss from Piper's mouth. "It's her ship."

"Oh, great. With all these clouds, who knows how long she's been following us? She probably has our route figured out and now she's waiting for us to make a move so that she can blow us out of the sky as soon as we're in range. Aw man, we're sitting targets…"

_Way to look on the bright side, Stork, _Piper thought. Ravess's ship didn't move. _I wonder how Aerrow, Finn, and Junko are doing._

* * *

Aerrow, Finn, and Junko were lost. The sky as now completely enveloped in large, bruise-colored clouds and the sun or stars- for whether it was night or day was unknown- were hidden from sight. Which way was east? West? Thunder rumbled like an empty stomach all around them.

The sky knight looked up as the first raindrop hit his forehead and rolled down his face. The skimmer's wings rattled and moaned as the wind turbulence became aggressive, threatening to buck and shake them off if they didn't hang on. Junko was forced to press himself against Finn- who was fast asleep- , trapping the sharpshooter between Aerrow and himself to keep him from sliding off his seat and Aerrow, although having no use of his arms, had no worries of being bucked off since he was practically crushed against the controls anyway.

A streak of lightning thrashed in the sky to port, blinding Aerrow with its white intensity. The hairs on the nape of his neck prickled. Sitting on a metal vehicle at the mercy of a lightning storm was like painting a target on their foreheads and giving Dark Ace the darts. Aerrow sat up from his pinned position against the skimmer's wheel, bracing against Finn's weight pressing onto his back. Junko noticed the sky knight struggling to sit up and dared to take a hand off the skimmer's controls to relieve Finn's weight. Rain battered against Aerrow's face relentlessly and the convulsing wind flopped his wet scarlet hair down in to his eyes, but the sky knight had no hands to brush it away. Aerrow squinted against the elements. "Junko, try and find a terra! We can't fly in this weather!" Aerrow shouted above the thunder and pings of hard-driven rain upon the skimmer's steel exoskeleton.

"Alright then. Hold Finn." Aerrow felt the sharpshooter's weight return and was once again pinned against the skimmer's controls as Junko used his free hand to shield his eyes. The wallop scanned the dark world below, picking out dark shapes against the distortion of the rain. "I think there's an outcrop of rock other to our right."

Finn's nose was running and his hands twitched as if they had a life of their own. Aerrow grimaced as the sharpshooter's soiled breath rolled into his violated personal space like a century old cheese wheel. "Great. Hurry. Please."

* * *

The cave was dark, but dry, as the three Storm Hawks entered its protective shelter, soaked to the bone and shivering. Junko laid Finn upon the hard ground and immediately salvaged a small mound of twigs for a fire, while Aerrow sat in the puddle slowly enlarging from his rain drenched uniform and watched with his teeth involuntarily chattering. He wished feverishly that had his arms to wrap around his shoulders and fingers to sweep away the tangled hair from his face, but his limbs remained tightly encased in their separate casts at his sides; totally and utterly useless. Never again would Aerrow take them for granted.

"Aaaaaaaaaaaah…" The sigh seemed to lift the sullen atmosphere as a small flame flared up from the meager twigs. Junko edged Finn closer to the warmth and they all huddled together, attempting to soak in what little comfort the pitiful flame could offer.

A harsh collision of angry thunder shook a shower of pebbles from the ceiling, and Junko hugged his knees to his chest, glancing warily at the mouth of the face. It was a waterfall of hail-like rain that washed the outside world of all its color, turning the terra bleak gray and dark as night. Aerrow shivered as another crash of thunder ran through the stone and a bitter wind rolled into the cave, nearly putting out the meager fire.

The dampness was beginning to creep into Aerrow's bones. His arms ached. He pressed his knees to his chest and set his cheek on them, closing his eyes and trying to quell the sore waves pulsating up into his shoulders.

A muffled snuffle suddenly broke through Aerrow's self-pity and the crackle of the fire. The sky knight looked up and glanced at Junko. The wallop was pressing his horned muzzle into his knotted hands at the peak of his knees, trying his hardest to hold in the sob that was welling up in his eyes. His back trembled with either tension or fear and his breathing was unnaturally bumpy.

Aerrow didn't know what to say or do. Should he comfort Junko, or leave him be to calm himself down? The sky knight tore his eyes from the anxiety-stricken wallop to stare into the fire. Never before had he been faced with such a simple, and yet complex, dilemma. What a sky knight he was. Aerrow had stood firm against Cyclonians, rogues, all the recent unfortunate events and even dragons, and yet he wasn't sure of how to comfort a friend without making everything worse. Aerrow absent-mindedly turned his attention from the dancing flames to the cave farther in, encased in inky blackness and empty of life.

A flash of lightning parted the sky from behind, and Aerrow caught a glint of something white in the very back of the cave. At first he thought it was just a polished rock, pale with quartz, but as a second blaze of lightning sent light pulsating down the cave's length, Aerrow felt all the moisture in his mouth go dry.

A skeleton lolled against the stalagmites at the very back of the cave.

Two black holes stared back at him as Aerrow gaped at it. The light of the lightning faded and the horrifying sight was covered in a coating of darkness. Aerrow pressed his hand to his chest, calming himself down from the sudden surprise.

When he recovered his nerves and his heart ceased its jackhammer beating, Aerrow stood up and began to feel around the dark cave with his feet. "Junko, help me find a large stick of wood."

Baffled, but unquestioning, Junko sought the area outside the fire's light and came up with a knobby limb about the size of Aerrow's forearm. With a smile, Junko offered it for the sky knight to take, but then realized his mistake after a long moment of unmoving silence. Blushing, Junko withdrew it.

"Set it on fire and follow me," Aerrow said, starting toward the back of the cave. The wood was old and bone dry and Junko quickly caught up with a blazing torch in his fist.

The stalagmites grew up from the cave's floor up into the shadow enveloped ceiling. There were hundreds of them, each a different conformation and size. Junko held the torch high over his head and gazed up in amazement at the majestic scene. Somewhere distant, the dripping of water became noticeable as the roaring tempest faded behind them. Only the faint reaches of lightning accompanied them from time to time.

"Do you think Stork would feel at home here?" Junko whispered, as if a loud voice might shatter the surrounding pillars of glistening rock.

"Spray it with some bat repellent, a couple of sandcakes, and I think he'd be at home," Aerrow replied.

_Flash! __**Rrrrr**__**rrr**__**rr**__**rrrr**__**rrrrrrr**__**rrrr**__**rrr**__**rrr**__**rrrrrrrrumble…**_

Junko squeaked in alarm as both his torchlight and the sudden lightning found the skeleton at the same time. He lost his hold on the torch, found it, lost it, and then hugged it close despite the spitting ashes. He stared at the gaping jaw in horror. "W – w – w- wha –"

Aerrow knelt before the lolling skeleton, looking it up and down. Some of the bones were already detached and lodged in the crevices of the stalagmites, but the majority was still anchored over a lump of rock, grown over by sticky fungi and wet with water. Anatomically it was obviously a man. By his dying posture, Aerrow sensed that this man did not die peacefully.

A little bolder now that the skeleton made no move to leap up and strangle him, Junko edged closer and held the torch close to the grimacing skull. "I wonder what he's doing here? A hermit?"

"He's pretty big and heavy boned for a hermit at the end of his days," Aerrow said. "And I don't know who would pick this kind of place for their home."

Junko timorously touched the ivory forearm, and then recoiled as the bone crumpled in two. "I didn't mean to! I didn't even press down that hard!"

"This skeleton is ancient. The bacteria in this fungi must have preserved it." Aerrow touched the spongy fungi clinging to the cavernous ribcage. "Look around. There might be an emblem or an insignia of a squadron somewhere."

"What makes you think this guy was part of a squadron?" Junko cocked his head.

"My gut says so," Aerrow replied, carefully finding footholds up the rock until he stood atop the man's grave. "It's a sixth sense sky knights get."

"Oooooh," Junko said admiringly. "My gut gets upset whenever I enter Finn's room. Do I have sixth sense?"

""Yeah…" Aerrow said, leaning over to peer behind the rock. "Something like that."

Junko, not fond of the idea of clambering around in the spooky stalagmites, inspected the skeleton as only he could.

"That's strange," he said, imagining a limp body falling back upon the rock, and the ncomparing it to the way the skeleton was positioned. "His arm is stretched out funny."

"Check it out," came Aerrow's voice somewhere beyond the skeleton. There was _sploosh, _and Aerrow cursed. "It's like a swamp back here. We really should show Stork this place."

Junko bent close to the skeleton. It's shoulder was chocked with fungi, holding it locked I nplace to the rock, and the fleshless arm was stretched out straight as if the hand was nailed in place. The wallop squinted in the gloom. He thought of handling teacups, of polishing fine china, of touching a baby bird, and then put his fingers gently upon the clenched fingers frozen to the stone. The bone cracked like an empty shell, but didn't shatter.

Aerrow emerged from the stalagmites, standing alongside the skull. "Anything?"

Junko put down the torch and ever-so-carefully took the skeleton's fingers between his index and thumbs. Bit by bit by tiny bit, the wallop pulled the bones apart and tugged out a small figure from its prison.

Aerrow slid down to join him, nearly toppling over without the balance of his arms. "What is that?"

Junko turned it over and over, tapping it with his fingers and listening. "Some kind of hollow tube. It's metal, see? The fungi must have kept it from rusting the same it kept from the bones from decaying."

Aerrow tipped his head to the side, focusing on the tube intently. "There's something written on it."

"Really?" Junko held it far away and squinted hard (he's farsighted). The wallop was just barely able to pick out the faint etches in the smooth steel. "A – a – are – xeeeee – ia?" Junko scratched his ears in puzzlement. "Arexia? Sounds like a disease."

"Arexia…" Aerrow mused. "Arexia, Arexia… Where have I heard that before?" The sky knight turned and paced the width of the cave, thinking hard. "I _know _I've heard that before."

Junko played with the tube, pressing here and there to discover its secrets. All of a sudden, when he put his thumb on the flat side of the cylinder, the inside began to slide out. Pleased, the wallop pulled it all the way out.

"Of course!" Aerrow said triumphantly. "Arexia was the headquarters of sky knights before the current Atmosia was established." He turned in amazement. "But that was almost a thousand years ago."

Junko dropped the metal cylinder and shook out the rolled up parchment that was stuffed within. The tube clanked on the cave floor and bounced away in the shadows. "Look at this."

Aerrow smiled. "You should be a detective, Junko. You're downright good at this."

Blushing, Junko held up the opened parchment. It looked like a weathered animal hide and was badly creased from its long years trapped in the small tube.

"Sky cow hide," Junko said, feeling the roughness.

"The same as Piper's old map when Odranoel was still considered a terra," Aerrow recalled. He scrutinized the parchment. "There's writing on it, but I can't make it too good in this kind of light. Let's take it back to the campfire and look at it there." Aerrow looked at the lonely skeleton still lolled against its grave. "Let's leave this guy to his rest."

Junko picked up the nearly spent torch and they made their way back toward the cave's mouth, casting pitying glances over their shoulder. The torchlight on the ivory fungi-infested bones until, like the past countless years, they were washed over in darkness.

* * *

The flames were burning low. Junko spread the parchment out on a dry patch of the cave floor and added more fuel to the fire, along with the burnt torch. Finn was sleeping peacefully now, his breathing deep and his dreams peaceful. Aerrow sat cross-legged over their find, running his eyes along the faint lines of writing over and over again.

Junko fed the fire another handful of decaying twigs and dusted his hands. "So, what is it?"

"It's a squadron log as far as I can make out," Aerrow said, nodding at the parchment's top right corner. "The date has it almost nine hundred and fifty years ago."

Junko crouched beside him. "Nine hundred and fifty years?! I didn't know sky knights were around that long!"

"They weren't," Aerrow said, scanning down the faded writing. "This wasn't a fighting squadron, but an archeological one. These letters are really old, but I think I can read it. And I know who our boney friend at the back of the cave is."

"Oh? Who?"

"Leonardo Bellouse, the man who discovered Terra Odranoel all those years ago."

* * *

"Do you think that storm will reach us?" Stork asked, leaning against the window and gazing at the black clouds broiling in the distance.

"No," Piper said. She tapped her finger on her knee as she sat at the table, leaning her head against her propped up fist. "The wind is going in the other direction." She yawned. "We're fine."

Radarr was asleep on the couch's backrest. He twitched as the faint rumbling invading his dreams.

Stork studied the sleeping creature, and then turned back to pressing his cheek absent-mindedly against the window. The devilish broiling on the horizon emitted faint flashes in its depths, like some kind of monster trying to break out of its egg. The merb's heart sped up each time a distant rumble reached his sensitive ears.

Stork turned back to Piper. "How much time do we have left?"

Piper flicked her eyes at the map she rested her elbow upon. "Ten minutes, and then Terra Odranoel is gone from my range of calculations." She inhaled deeply and let it out in an irritated hiss. "And that's exactly what Ravess wants."

"Cyclonis is on the trail," Stork said. "She's got so many crystals and spies, and with those stolen books to top it off, Cyclonis can't have that much of a hard time finding an invisible terra." The merb once again rested his head against the glass with a _clunk. _"Cyclonis wins."

"Not yet," Piper said, raising her head a bit. "We can't give up. Not now."

Stork looked at her through hooded eyes. "Oh? And we're certainly are putting up the fight of the century."

Piper allowed her eyes to rove to the bridge's large windshield. Slightly to starboard, behind sparse clouds, was Ravess's ship. It was as still as the Condor.

Stork, being the paranoid freak he was, glanced back at the storm marring the darkening skies. Was it bigger?

"If we suddenly put on all speed and blast out of here, we might have a chance of outdistancing her blasters before she can stop us." Piper frowned. "But if Ravess succeeds in landing a hit and disables the Condor, then that's definitely it. Without the Condor, it'll be impossible to catch up to Odranoel in time."

Stork kept his eyes on the storm. "And that's not a good thing."

"No…" Piper sighed. "It's not."

Silence.

Stork didn't move. "Piper… which way is the wind blowing again?"

Piper put her head down in her arms. "I told you," she said, her voice muffled. "The other direction."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Positive?"

"Quite."

Stork was quiet, and then spoke softly, "Then this storm knows how to ride against the current."

"What?" Piper raised her head just as the first crest of wind rocked the Condor. She nearly fell off her seat at the table. Stork took the controls in his capable hands and, with memorized motions, turned the Condor on to full alert.

The storm loomed over them like a nebula descended from space, roaring and bulging forward in its attempt to engulf them. Ravess's ship rocked in unison with the Condor.

"Darn Cyclonians," Stork snarled, throwing his weight against the control. "They aren't going to budge until we are."

Piper joined him at the helm, her eyebrows set in a determined line. "Then we'll play they're little game of chicken."

Lightening thrashed down. Rain fell down in torrents until the world was gray. Stork watched with rising fear as all sunlight was blotted out by the black blanket crawling right over his beloved ship. The storm was moving rapidly, for the wind Stork was pushing the Condor against was amazingly strong, and thunder seemed to vibrate through every molecule in the tense air. Stork had been in enough bad situations to know when the odds weren't in their favor. "Piper," he squeaked.

The navigator laid her hand upon the merb's shoulder. "C'mon, Stork. We can do it."

_**CRRRRRRRRRR**__**AAAAAAAAA**__**AAAAAA**__**CCCCC**__**CCCCC!**_

The Condor's nose reared for the sky like a frightened stallion and Stork hung onto the controls for dear life as the carrier was swept around a hundred and eighty degrees in response to the wind smashing itself against the ship. Piper caught Radarr's tail as the specialist woke with a squawk and the two of them huddled against the table.

Stork strained with every muscle he could muster to keep the Condor at bay, and then glanced about to see how Ravess' ship was doing. It was nowhere to be seen.

"Piper!" Stork twisted around to look at the navigator. "Ravess is gone!"

"Then so are we," Piper said determinedly, raising herself with the table's support. "Full speed ahead!"

The Condor lunged about until she faced the wind head on and the engines roared until its noise blocked out the furious howling of the storm. A small urge onward from Stork, and she was gone, blasting her way through the currents with a strength only the Condor had.

Stork couldn't see where he was steering. The rain distorted everything beyond recognition, and any slack in their speed would give them an opening to the oncoming wind. It felt familiar. Stork remembered the incident long ago, so long ago and yet not feeling so long ago, when he had failed to keep the Condor aloft in the fateful storm above Terra Snowgra. His heart sped up until he could not distinguish one beat from the next. The storm raged all around him, engulfing the pilot in confusion and whirling thoughts. The Condor moaned. There was hail now, striking like boulders at the carrier as the ship continued its relentless plunge against the storm's wrath. Stork's breathing quickened. It was as if time had plucked him from the current events and placed him back in the center of the Snowgra storm incident. Stork was terrified.

_Not again. _Stork swerved the Condor to port, and then to starboard in an attempt to slip past the currents. _Not again, not again, not again. I don't want to crash. I don't want to go through all those horrible events again._

Piper stifled a scream as the Condor's nose began to rise.

_I don't want to die._

Stork squeezed the control's handles. He shut his eyes tightly. He was too scared to do anything. The storm shrieked, stretching its flickering claws out to nab them.

_**Stork.**_

Stork looked up at the bleared windshield and blinked. "What?"

_**Stork. Turn left.**_

The merb unknowingly edged the Condor to port. "Left?"

_**Almost there.**_

Stork's breath rasped in his throat. "Almost where?"

Behind him, Piper stared at the back of the merb's neck.

_**Atmos is in you and your extraordinary team's hands, Stork.**_

Stork caught a glimpse of a pale moth perched on the lee side of one of the Condor's windshield supports. Its delicate wings fluttered in the wind, but it stayed anchored in place. The merb caught his breath.

The moth didn't move.

_**You have two minutes.**_

* * *

**_Oooooh... _**I just love cliffhangers. Don't forget to review and check out the comic on deviantart. Just type in Storm Hawks and I'm pretty sure you'll be able to find it. I'm up to the beginning of chapter 2.


	48. The Man, the Enemy, and the Crystal

**The man, the enemy, and the crystal**

**Well, it's certaintly been a long time, hasn't it? Many things have come up and I just haven't had the time nor brainpower to continue this story until now. I believe I started this story when I was fifteen. I'm now almost a month from my eighteenth birthday and I just finished High School yesterday. Now that it's summer, I'll see if I can't regain my composure with this story and finally conclude it.**

**By the way, the comic on deviantart is coming along swimmingly. I'll also have more time for that this summer as well. On with the story!**

* * *

Like a leaf trying to flow up a waterfall, the Condor blasted headlong into the storm. So intense were the elements upon the Condor's bow that it formed a gargantuan wake of thundering wind as the airship and storm clashed time after time. Lightning flashed angrily left and right, turning the world black to white in an instant.

Stork's arms shook and the veins in his neck stood out like ropes as he strained to keep the ship steady. The entire bridge vibrated along the Condor's overheated engines and the shriek of the metal exterior stung Stork's ears until his hearing was numb.

_I wonder how fast we're going, _he thought, surprising himself by his own casualness. Wrenching the control the other way, Stork almost jumped out of his skin as a dead bird splattered, slid, and disappeared from the windshield in a quarter second. _Apparently way too fast._

"Stork!" Piper yelled from somewhere behind him. Stork hoped she had a good hold on Radarr, and perhaps a good hold on a pillar too. "The Condor can't take this! We need to pull out of this storm!"

The fuzzy white moth on the window twitched.

"Just a little more, Piper!" The words flew from Stork's mouth. He blinked. Did he just deny safety?

"What in the world are you _looking _for in here?" Piper's scream hoarsely rose above the deafening noise.

World peace? Mind worm repellent? Waldo? Stork's head pounded with a rising headache and stress. His elbows were trembling uncontrollably and his knuckles were turning blue. "Invisible magical terra of eyeballs…" Stork almost hummed, scanning the black turmoil broiling against the windshield. "Pop up anytime now…"

_Stork. _The moth's bent wind fluttered. _I leave the fate of Atmos in your teams' capable hands._

The fate of Atmos? Stork couldn't even properly care for a goldfish! He was about to respond when the moth suddenly vanished. Vanished!

"Whoa!" Stork lost control of the ship and fought to regain dominance. "Hey hey hey! Not cool! Don't just _leave_!"

The moth did not come back. Stork, hanging onto the control with both hands and a leg, could only gape in disbelief as the Condor continued its wild plunge into lightning infested darkness. The lady moth just _dumped _him!

And then, like smoke blown away, the storm dissipated before Stork's very eyes. The clouds parted before the Condor and a blinding white light filled the bridge.

_Fabulous. A white light… _Stork thought, swinging to and fro upon the control. _Haha… I'm dead!_

The thunder faded and the roar of the engines began a solo as the Condor, propelled by little more than momentum, arced out into the whiteness.

Stork gripped the Condor's control tightly, but didn't dare give the airship an order. Were they descending or ascending? Where and how did they exit the storm? At what altitude were they? The panel instruments were spinning so uncontrollably that it was impossible to get a reading. They were rushing blindly thought the unknown!

The whiteness ahead dimmed somewhat into a crystal-like appearance and brilliant sparkled in Stork's vision. Wait… that was solid! Stork wrenched the Condor's control to port in an attempt to avoid collision, but the insane speed that drove the airship onward hurtled them down like a rock. Stork pulled the control up, lifting the Condor's nose high and presented the airship's flat underside in a last ditch effort to cushion the blow.

_Whum! _The Condor indeed hit the landform quite safely, but instead of grinding to a halt as Stork expected, the Condor _slid._

Lights flickered and the alarm began to howl, bathing the bridge in red as Stork frantically tried to halt the Condor. He activated the airship's wings to create drag, and when that failed to stop the sliding airship, the merb proceeded to set off the landing gear to dig into the ground and anchor them in place. But instead of digging into the earth, the Condor simply rose up as the landing gear folded out and continued gliding like an awkward ice skater, turning in slow circles on the way.

No rocks? No ponds, trees, ditches, bushes or hills? Nothing for the wheels to catch on? Stork held onto the Condor's wheel helplessly as the airship rotated and glided, rotated and glided, rotated and glided until, ever so slowly, the Condor slid to an easing halt.

By the time the Condor finally stopped and rocked back on her wheels, Stork was dizzy. He waited until the world stopped spinning and then, finger by finger, freed the control of his death grip. His muscles were throbbing. Rubbing his hands together to prevent Fingernail Laminitis, Stork staggered around to survey the bridge. "Piper? Are you okay?"

Piper, lying facedown near the table, didn't respond. In a rush of adrenaline, Stork shot to her side and shook her arm. "Piper! Can you hear me, Piper?"

And then Stork saw what had hit her. Adorned in its expensive and unreasonably fancy frame, the large picture of Finn that Finn himself had hung up lay broken where it had landed after striking Piper's head.

Stork lifted his unconscious teammate onto the table and folded a dirty uniform Aerrow had left on the seat into a pillow. Discouraged and tired, Stork pushed the makeshift pillow under Piper's head. Now what was he to do?

"Rawr."

Feeling a tug on his pant leg, Stork looked down to see a disheveled Radarr looked up at him pathetically. The merb turned to him. "What should I do? Moth fairylady dumped us, I don't know where we are, and Piper's not here to telll me to calm down and not panic and – "Breathing hard, Stork felt his face. " – And I think I have a case of Skull Distortion."

Radarr hopped up onto the table alongside Piper and Stork, feeling his pulse, walked over to the windshield. The windows were misted and, even when Stork whipped a hand across the glass, refused to allow the merb a glimpse of the outside. Stork swallowed hard. He would have to go and see for himself.

"Radarr," Stork said, walking nervously across the bridge. "You stay here with Piper while I…" He stopped at the doorway leading to his quarters. "I… go gather some things."

Radarr squatted solemnly beside Piper. "Rawr."

_Rattle rattle rattle rattle rattle._

The pans and plates strapped to Stork's body made a racket as he shook uncontrollably. He adjusted the blow-up ducky about his waist and placed a hand upon the lever that separated him and the unknown dangers of the outside world. Instead of lowering the ramp and exiting the Condor the usual way, Stork decided that the quickest (and most unexpected, just in case something was waiting for him) way to survey their crash site would be to zip in and out of one of the two cannon doors. That way, if he was faced with a raging rabid monster with terrible bone crushing teeth, he could slip back in and fold the door back up in a heartbeat. Stork's hand trembled upon the lever. Hopefully the door would stick.

When he finally cranked the lever, after reattaching kitchenware upon his body several times for reassurance, the door lowered outward from the wall and the cannon popped up. White light poured in like a thousand spotlights and Stork, who had planned to leap out and then back in with no time to spare, could only stand transfixed by the sheer brightness with his hands shielding his eyes.

Slowly, and ever so painfully, Stork's eyes adjusted to the blinding light. Keeping an arm over his face to ease the brightness, Stork crept forward until he clasped the doorway. He cautiously lowered his protective arm and, squinting, looked out into the whiteness.

* * *

The storm outside threw its lightning and drummed out its thunder like there was no tomorrow. In a small cave of a battered rock outcrop, two cold, hungry and equally battered humans and one wallop stayed sheltered in its protection, warmed only by a dying fire and a tale upon an ancient parchment.

_M__y name is Atticus Rivers. I am the environmental specialist under the command of Leonardo Bellous, Captain of the Rex Bears. We were deployed several months ago along with five other squadrons by the distinguished Terra Rex Council, charged with the mission to discover new territory, establish colonies, and raise crops to ease the famine plaguing Atmos during these hard times. We came upon a large, fine terra soon after departing, rich with black soil, broad trees, and a series of tall mountains in its centre. Leonardo was so pleased with our find that he bestowed the new land with his own name__ ; __Terra Odranoel._

_After staking our Flag upon the tallest mountain peak, we returned to Terra Rex to report our success, only to find that our home was under attack by the same savages who caused the Great Famine, ravaged Atmos, slaughtered entire terras, and destroyed Terra Arexia __;__ The Cyclonians._

_Their leader, Cyclone, has risen to power with the aid of an accursed Wrath Crystal, a red crystal of pure evil thought to have been a legend. Crystals and their powers are new to us and we have only been using their fuel for our flying carriages for several decades. To use such a new and terrible crystal as a weapon was completely unheard of. Cyclone is a dark and cruel man with countless soldiers called Talons at his command. His Wrath Crystal summoned a crimson storm over Terra Rex and he was wiping out our forces with swipes of power. We managed to slip through the battle to find the Rex Council. They were all dead or gone._

_With no leadership or moral, our forces were being whipped out. I ran outside to see if I could be of assistance. Two of the Rex Bears, my dear comrades, were dead by our vehicles. I had no weapon and the talons were flying all over like a swarm of flies. I ran to the Council Hall again to find Leonardo and I spotted him behind the Judges' table. He opened a hidden door and withdrew a large, purple crystal that was unfamiliar to me. When I requested as to what kind of crystal it was, Leonardo replied that it was a new specimen that he himself had discovered years before. A Morphing Crystal._

_I followed him outside just in time to see Cyclone swoop down upon his vehicle. He was a terrible sight. The Wrath Crystal in his hand bathed his entire body in red and his face was not human. Cyclone pointed his accursed weapon at us and Leonardo pulled me away onto an abandoned vehicle. He told me to fly as he sat behind me with the Morphing Crystal. I obeyed and we soared into the skies. Cyclone followed us. It was as we were pulling away from the battle that a stray shot hit me in the back. I kept flying._

_Gradually, as the noise of war faded behind us, my sight became blurry and I could feel my body shutting down. I did not know if Leonardo was aware of my situation with his attention turned upon the enemy following us. I headed for the terra in the distance and managed to use the wind from the Wrath Crystal's storm to our advantage, crash-landing on the terra's rolling hills ahead of Cyclone. When I looked up, I saw our flag. It was Terra Odranoel._

_Cyclone was upon us in an instant, a hellish sight that I h ad only witnessed in my nightmares. Leonardo dismounted the vehicle and told me to go. I didn't want to leave him behind, but Leonardo turned his back to me and raised his Morphing Crystal. A striking violet light blinded me and I somehow got the vehicle into the air, hating myself for leaving Leonardo behind. When the light faded and I was at a decent altitude, I looked back. Terra Odranoel was gone, along with Cyclone, the two crystals, and Leonardo. Completely gone._

_I wept for the loss of my brave commander, but I now have no tears. I found this rock outcrop and retreated far into the back of this cave after disposing my vehicle over the side. Alas, my wound has me slowly dying and I fear that it will take my life before I finish. You who have found this must be a clever and sophisticated fellow, and I can only hope that you will use this information for the good of Atmos._

_This is the tale that I have and this is all I know. The coordinates of the terra's original location is below. May the wind blow under your wings and the stars guide your flight. I regret that I cannot tell you more._

_Farewell,_

**Atticus Rivers**

The storm raged on like a hungry beast and frost dressed the stone like a white sheet. The awake individual of the three sat back with a long exhale and glanced at the sleeping others.

His words echoed dully in the freezing cave. "Ah… what a sad tale."

* * *

**That's it for now. I'll see if I can't reread the last dozen or so chapters and update myself a little better on what's going on.**


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